GR 





MEMOIRS OF 

V 



VOL. Ill 

1895 



BAHAMA 
SONGS AND STORIES 



A CONTRIBUTION TO FOLK-LORE 



BY 




CHARLES U'EDWARDS, Ph. D. 

u 

PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI 



OCT ^ sm^\ 



BOSTON AND NEW YORK 

^ufili^l^eti for €l^e American f oift^Store J^ocietp Bp 

HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN AND COMPANY 

LONDON: DAVID NUTT, 270, 271 STRAND 

LEIPZIG: OTTO HARRASSOWITZ, QUERSTRASSE, 14 

189s 



€^' 



Copyright, 1895, 
By The American Folk-Lore Society. 

A/i rights reserved. 



The Riverside Press, Cambridge, Mass., U. S. A. 
Electrotyped and printed by H. O. Houghton and Company, 



To 
MY FATHER AND MOTHER 



PREFACE. 



While this work is intended as a contribution to folk- 
lore, yet it is hoped that the songs and stories will appeal 
to those not specially interested from the scientific stand- 
point. The genetic relation existing between the tales and 
music of the Bahama and of the United States negroes will 
be readily discerned. Parallels from accessible collections 
of American, and of native African, folk-lore are indicated. 
The material for this paper was collected during the sum- 
mer of 1888, at Green Turtle Cay, of 1 891, at Harbour 
Island, and of 1893, at Bimini. The stories I.-XL, and 
XXXIV., and a portion of the Introduction, were pub- 
lished in " The American Journal of Psychology," vol. ii. No. 
4, Worcester, 1889; and stories XXXI. and XXXV.- 
XXXVIII., in the "Journal of American Folk-Lore," vol. 
iv. Nos. XII. and XIV., Boston and New York, 1891. 

I wish to express my thanks to President G. Stanley Hall, 
who has kindly permitted me to use again the material 
which appeared in " The American Journal of Psychology ; " 
to Mr. A. E. Sweeting, of Harbour Island, Bahamas, who 
was good enough to note down the music to most of the 
songs ; and to Mr. William Wells Newell, for valuable advice 
and assistance in connection with the publication. 

C. L. E. 

University of Cincinnati, 

June, 1895. 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE 

Introduction 13 

SONGS. 

I. I LOOKED o'er YANDER 2$ 

II. Lord, I wish I could Pray . 24 

III. Hail! King of the Jews 25 

IV. Didn't it Rain, my Elder . . . . . .25 

V. Git on Board 26 

VI. Who built de Ark? 27 

VII. Beautiful Sta'h . . 27 

VIII. Go DOWN, Moses .28 

IX. Dear Sister, yi Feet Strike Zion 28 

X. Love bro't de Savye' down 29 

XL When de Moon went down 30 

XII. Jesus heal' the Sick 31 

XIII. O! LooK-A Death ......... 32 

XIV. I tho't I SAW my Brothe' 33 

XV. Ev'rybody wants to Know 34 

XVI. Ev'ry Day be Sunday 35 

XV 1 1. Good News in the Kingdom 36 

XVI 11. Dig my Grave Long and Narrow 37 

XIX. I WISH I COULD Pray 38 

XX. Don't you feel the Fire a-burnin' 39 

XXI. Opon de Rock 40 

XXII. Turn Back an' Pray . .41 

XXIII. Come out the Wilderness 42 

[XXIV. Um Died once to Die no Mo* 43 

XXV. The-r Heaven Bells are Ringin' 44 

XXVI. Jesus bin Hyere 45 

XXVII. Do YOU Live by Prayer? ....... 45 

XXVIII. I can't stay in Egypt Lan' 46 

XXIX. Nothin' but the Righteous 47 

XXX. Death was a Little T'ing 48 

XXXI. My Jesus led me to the Rock 49 

XXXII. Com' 'long, Brother 49 

XXXIII. Never a Man Speak like this Man .... 50 

XXXIV. Goin' to Ride on de Cross . 51 

XXXV. Don't you Weep after me 52 

XXXVI. Oh ! We all got Religion $5 



X Contents, 

XXXVII. I Wan' to Go to 'Evun 57 

XXXVIII. I Long to See That Day 58 

XXXIX. Lawd, Remember me ........ 59 

XL. We 'll git Home by and by 60 

STORIES. 

I. B' Rabby in de Corn-Field 63 

11. B' Helephant and B' Vw'ale 65 

III. B' Rabby, B' Spider, an' B' Bouki . . . . . 65 

IV. B' Man, B' Rat, an' B' Tiger-Cat 66 

V. B' Bouki an' B' Rabby 67 

VI. B' Baracouti an' B' Man 68 

VII. B' Loggerhead and B' Conch 69 

VIII. B' Crane-Crow, B' Parrot, and B' Snake . . . .70 

IX. B' Cricket and B' Helephant 70 

X. B' Crane-Crow an' B' Man 71 

XI. De Big Worrum 72 

XII. B' Rabby an' B' Tar-Baby . . . . . . .73 

XIII. B' Big-Head, B' Big-Gut, an' B' Tin-Leg. ... 75 

XIV. B' Rabby had a Mother 76 

XV. B' Man, B' Woman, an' B' Monkeys. . . . . jS 

XVI. B' Rabby, B' Bouki, an' B' Crow yj 

XVII. De Man an' de Dog 79 

XVIII. B' Loggerhead, B' Dog, an' B' Rabby 80 

XIX. B' Devil an' B' Goat 80 

XX. B' Hellibaby an' B' Dawndejane 82 

XXI. 'Bout a Bird 83 

XXII. A Young Lad an' 'is Mother 84 

; XXIII. B' Parakeet an' B' Frog 85 

XXIV. 'Bout B' Dog, B' Cat, B' Rabbit, an' B' Goat ... 86 

XXV. The Lady an' 'er Two Dawtahs an' 'er Husband . ^7 

XXVI. A Young Lady an' 'er Son 87 

XXVII. B' Goat, B' Bouki, an' B' Rabbit 88 

XXVIII. The Woman an' 'eh Husban' 89 

XXIX. B' Big-Head an' B' Little-Head 90 

XXX. A Boy an' Sheep 90 

XXXI. De Girl an' de Fish 91 

XXXII. Three Boys an' One Woman 92 

XXXIII. A Lady an' 'er Two Dawtahs . 93 

XXXIV. B' Jack an' B' Snake 94 

XXXV. B' Little-Clod an' B' Big-Clod 95 

XXX VI. De Woman an' de Bell-Boy 97 

XXXVII. Greo-Grass an' Hop-o'-my-Thumb 97 

XXXVIII. De Debble an' Young Prince had a Race . . .99 

Appendix loi 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 



PAGE 

Channel between a " Cay " and " the Main " 
A Village Street 



>■ . . Frontispiece 



Celebration of Emancipation, Harbor Island i8 

A Group of Children ) . 

Celebration of Emancipation — the Procession > 

Scene at the Celebration of Emancipation . . . , . 90 



BAHAMA SONGS AND STORIES. 



INTRODUCTION. 

The Bahamas include over three thousand islands, most of which 
are quite small. As a whole, these islands, not being separated by 
great distances, present a striking homogeneity, both in their coral- 
line origin and in the life and surroundings of the people. Just as 
the biologist acquires an insight into the complex problems of struc- 
ture and function presented by a living thing, by comparing its life- 
history with the environment, so in studying a folk-lore, a knowledge 
of its philosophy is gained by considering the life-history of the 
community in which the folk-lore has developed in relation to the 
surrounding conditions. 

In the Bahamas are found a most interesting succession of three 
generations of coral formations. 

First is the main island, sometimes from fifty to one hundred miles 
long and from one to ten miles wide, with hills reaching the height 
of one hundred feet, and forests of large pine-trees. 

Then extends the chain of cays ^ a few miles to seaward, each 
from a few acres to three or four square miles in area, seldom being 
more than one half or three quarters of a mile wide, with hills not 
higher than eighty feet. Upon these cays, with the exception of the 
cocoa-palms, grow only small bushes and stunted trees, while coral 
plantations still flourish on the ocean side. 

Lastly arises still farther at sea the present reef, with living 
polyps almost to the crest, where, broken into caps of foam, the waves 
from the deep Atlantic are somewhat arrested in their impetuous 
course. 

Seen from a distance, the islands appear as dark, low-lying sand- 
bars, but when closely approached the vegetation, as intensely green 
as the deep sea is blue, adds beauty to the monotonous land. The 
coralline sand of the shore is made up of the triturated skeletons of 
corals and of echinoderms, the shells of mollusks, and the stony 
secretions of many other animals and of algae. It is washed over and 

^ From the Spanish cayo^ a rock. 



14 Introduction, 

over by water as pure as crystal, and bleached in the sun of unend- 
ing summer until it becomes as white as snow. The shoals about 
are also of this constantly shifting sand, and so the shallow water is 
rendered a chalky green shade, affording a remarkable contrast with 
the wonderful blue of the subtropical sea.^ 

Between *' the main " island and its series of satellite cays extends 
a generally navigable channel, which, protected from the ocean swell 
and yet with every advantage of the ocean breeze, affords an excel- 
lent roadstead for vessels. Here the water takes on every shade 
over the white sand, according to the varying depth, from palest 
green to deepest blue. It is a sight of peculiar beauty to see, in 
the early morning, the small boats of the natives, which, with large 
white sails, are almost like gulls skimming over the transparent 
waters. As nature first leaves the coral island, there is but little 
soil, and so the plants found are such as can adapt themselves at the 
root to crannies in the rock and thus gain some sustenance from the 
mould of their ancestors, while from the air the leaves breathe in 
the rich supplies of gases and moisture. The formation longest 
exposed, the main island, has thus accumulated the most soil, and 
supports forests or prairies of considerable extent. The first settle- 
ments were in some cases made by families of loyalists who fled from 
the American colonies during the Revolution, while in other cases 
the colonists have come directly from Great Britain. The towns 
have grown slowly, for the most part by the natural increase of the 
few first families ; and, because of repeated intermarrying among 
these family stocks, at present nearly all of the people are inter- 
related. The population is about evenly divided on the basis of 
color, although, as in the West Indies, the percentage of increase 
of the negroes over the whites is becoming greater every year. 
Whether the pessimistic predictions of Trollope and of Froude, of 
negro supremacy and a return to African barbarism, shall be fulfilled 
in the Bahamas, as apparently already in Hayti, it is difficult to say. 
The comparatively poorer soil of the Bahamas, compelling the negro 
to work if he would survive, will be a strong factor in keeping up 
the civilization already attained. 

Usually, among the ''out islands," the town is found upon one of 
the cays, on the side facing the channel. Imagine a seacoast town 
in North Carolina, isolated as much as possible from railroads and 
ocean steamers, and its people leading a seafaring life with farm- 
work at odd intervals, transport it to a small coral island, then you 

^ These shoals sometimes reach gigantic proportions, as in the Great Bahama 
Banks, where, for over hundreds of square miles, the water is but a few fathoms 
in depth. Upon these shallows, beyond the sight of land, one has the peculiar 
impression of sailing over a submerged Sahara, or an infinite mill-pond ! 



Introduction, 1 5 

can gain a very fair outline for the picture of one of these Bahama 
towns. But there are touches of local coloring quite necessary to 
complete the picture. 

Horses and carriages are rarely found on the '* out " islands, so 
roads for their accommodation are not essential, and the streets are 
often not wider than a city sidewalk. The squares into which the 
town is divided are proportioned to the streets in size, so that the 
first effect is of an overgrown doll-town ! The streets are made by 
smoothing off the naturally jagged points left by the action of water 
upon the coral sandstone of which the cay is composed, and they 
are of dazzling whiteness. The houses are generally of frame, three 
or four sometimes crowded upon the same small lot, and, whenever 
the owner can afford the display, painted white, a most disagreeable 
continuation of the glare from the street and seashore. 

The principal industries are the raising of pineapples, oranges, and 
sisal, and the gathering and curing of sponges. Many ships are of 
native manufacture, and all the lads, from the earliest years, are 
taught the various trades of the sea. The sea, too, is a storehouse 
of food, for fish is to the Bahaman what beef is to the Englishman, 
and nowhere will one find the fish more delicious. Sweet potatoes, 
cocoanuts, bananas, oranges, sapodillas, avocado-pears, plantains, 
soursops, star-apples, rose-apples, and many other tropical luxuries 
add to the delights of the table. 

The fields are scattered along " the main " for ten miles on either 
hand, whither the men sail in the morning, coming back at night. 

The chief farming implements in the Bahamas, as has been aptly 
said, are the pickaxe and the machete. With the former a natural 
crevice in the rock is somewhat widened, and therein a pineapple 
slip or some seed is planted ; while with the machete, a long, broad- 
sword sort of knife, the weeds and bushes are cut down. 

The Bahamas have been subjected to periodical booms. Before 
the days of the lighthouses, "wrecking" was the most profitable 
business. Many richly-laden vessels went to pieces on the treach- 
erous coral reefs, and the people of the nearest communities secured, 
in the name of salvage, a large percentage of the valuables from the 
wreck. The story is told that when one of the governors was going 
back to England he asked, at a farewell meeting, what he could do 
of most importance for the colony. With one voice the people said, 
" Have the laws establishing the lighthouses repealed ! " Then 
sugar became the one thing to raise, and only after much expensive 
machinery had been imported was it discovered that the soil was not 
rich enough to grow sugar. Then blooded horses for the American 
market claimed attention, but a lack of proper diet for the horses 
ended that enterprise. Now it is sisal, the plant which in Yucatan 



1 6 Introduction, 

has given the world most of its best hemp. The native Bahama 
variety is said to produce a better quality of fibre than that of Yuca- 
tan ; so everybody is raising the young plant, and thousands of 
acres of previously unoccupied lands are being devoted to the cul- 
ture of sisal. There seems a fair chance that this industry will 
prove of lasting benefit to the colony. 

The Bahama people are intensely pious. The whole social life 
centres in the church. Those mad days of the buccaneers are gone. 
For the ribald songs of the riotous pirates we have the solemn 
hymns of the Wesleyans, and the chant of the English Church. 
Lighthouses have taken from the coral reefs their former terror. 
The laws against swearing are quite severe ; and, what is even more 
necessary, the good old patriarch, who holds all the offices from chief 
magistrate to street commissioner, is strict in the enforcement of the 
laws, so that the ordinary street talk is quite a relief to one who is 
familiar with the profanity of American streets. 

The colored people, everywhere gossipy, good-natured, and reli- 
gious, having here been emancipated for over fifty years, have 
become somewhat educated and unusually independent. Socially 
the races are more nearly equal than anywhere else on the globe. 
Schools and churches are occupied in common. Miscegenation, so 
prevalent in Nassau, the capital, has not prevailed in the " out " 
islands to any extent. Of course, in each community one may find 
a circle of intelligent white people to whom the negroes can never 
be more than servants. But to keep up this satisfactory relation is 
every year a more perplexing problem. Some of the first negroes 
who came to the cays were slaves of the loyalists ; but aside from 
these, the large majority indeed, have come by direct descent from 
native Africans. There yet lives in Green Turtle Cay one old 
negro, " Unc' Yawk," who, bowing his grizzled head, will tell you, 
" Yah, I wa' fum Haf'ca." 

It is with the negroes that one associates the picturesque and 
beautiful surroundings in the Bahamas. Their huts, so often 
thatched with palmettos, are built on the low, sandy soil of the town. 
There grow the graceful cocoa palms v/ith long, green leaves which 
rustle as sadly as do those of oak and chestnut in the autumn woods 
of the north, suggesting the gentle murmur of falling raindrops. 
There, too, the prickly pear, like an abatis, bristling all over with 
needles, seems to guard the luxuriant blossoms of the great oleander 
bush, dispensing sweetest perfume from its midst. Apparently 
every hut has its quota of a dozen little black " Conchs," ^ of as- 
sorted sizes, who think the palmetto-thatched cottage a palace 

1 The native Bahamans have been nicknamed " Conchs," from the predomi- 
nance there of a mollusk of that name. 



Introduction, i ^ 

and the yard a menagerie, wherein the pigs and chickens and dogs 
are animals created for their special amusement. 

There are but few stoves and chimneys in the Bahamas. Boiling 
and frying are done in a small shed, over an open fire built on a box 
of sand ; while for the baking is employed an oven of the same sort 
as our foremothers knew by the name of the " brick oven." It is 
a cone, made of coral sandstone, into the upper half of which is 
hollowed an oven. The "mammy" and children do most of the 
housework ; while the lord and master, when not at sea or on the 
farm, plays checkers or lies in a hammock reading a novel. 

There is one piece of work, however, in which husband and wife 
share, and that is the chastisement of the children. They chastise 
with a club, and regularly every twenty-four hours the screaming of 
the tortured child comes from the hut, or surrounding bushes, to 
tell its sad tale of remaining barbarism ; but the negro child has a 
disposition full of sunshine, and in a few moments after being beaten 
will sing like the happiest being on earth. 

The evening is the playtime of the negroes. The children gather 
in some clump of bushes or on the seashore and sing their songs, 
the young men form a group for a dance in some hut, and the old 
people gossip. The dance is full of uncultured grace ; and to the 
barbaric music of a clarionet, accompanied by tambourines and tri- 
angles, some expert dancer " steps off " his specialty in a challeng- 
ing way, while various individuals in the crowd keep time by beating 
their feet upon the rough floor and slapping their hands against 
their legs. All applaud as the dancer finishes ; but before he fairly 
reaches a place in the circle a rival catches step to the music, and all 
eyes are again turned toward the centre of attraction. Thus goes 
the dance into the night. 

The strangest of all their customs is the service of song held on 
the night when some friend is supposed to be dying. If the patient 
does not die, they come again the next night, and between the dis- 
ease and the hymns the poor negro is pretty sure to succumb. The 
singers, men, women, and children of all ages, sit about on the floor 
of the larger room of the hut and stand outside at the doors and 
windows, while the invalid lies upon the floor in the smaller room. 
Long into the night they sing their most mournful hymns and " an- 
thems," and only in the light of dawn do those who are left as chief 
mourners silently disperse. The " anthem " No. i (given below) is 
the most often repeated, and, with all the sad intonation accented by 
tense emotion of the singers, it sounds in the distance as though it 
might well be the death triumph of some old African chief ! Each 
one of the dusky group, as if by intuition, takes some part in the 
melody, and the blending of all tone-colors in the soprano, tenor. 



1 8 Introduction. 

alto, and bass, without reference to the fixed laws of harmony, makes 
such peculiarly touching music as I have never heard elsewhere. 
As this song of consolation accompanies the sighs of the dying one, 
it seems to be taken up by the mournful rustle of the palms, and 
to be lost only in the undertone of murmur from the distant coral 
reef. It is all weird and intensely sad. 

This custom of coming together and singing all night is gener- 
ally called the " settin' up." It has its merry as well as its sad side. 
On great occasions, as " Angus' eve' night," the celebration of the 
emancipation of African slaves on British soil, and *' Chris'mus," the 
"settin' up" gives us the negro in his best mood. It is about two 
hours after nightfall, when the sun dropping like a great golden ball 
below the distant sea-line has surrendered the sky to the myriad 
stars, that the dusky forms of the negroes begin gliding into the 
scene of the '' settin' up." It is a long time beginning, with much 
mirth and joking and gleaming of ''ivory." But at last the largest 
room of the largest hut is filled with chairs, and the chairs with gayly 
dressed colored folk. One man, better dressed than the others and 
probably better educated, "lines off," in sonorous voice, the words 
of some good old hymn. Around the centre table with him are 
the principal singers, and standing back of these, with a shining 
"beaver" on his head as a badge of office, is the leader. He lifts 
his hands, his face shines with pride, his rich barytone voice pours 
forth the line, and the hymn begins. Then all voices, joining to- 
gether every shade of tone, send out into the beautiful night that 
rapturous, voluptuous music of the civilized Africans. The hymn 
swells, the ivory teeth gleam, and the wave of sound rolls on. The 
leader reaches out his great hands, as if to raise the song aloft, and 
shouts his commands of " Not so fas', now ! " " Min' de word ! " and 
other encouraging words, while his body sways back and forth. 
Then the old men interject their admonitions, "Not so much 
talkin' ! " "Dem ladies dere is la'ffin' too much!" "Now, j'ine 
in ! " and so on. The hymns continue until after midnight, when 
comes a pause, with refreshments of cofiee and bread. After this 
come the " anthems," or folk-songs, that have not been learned 
from a book. The negro sings now ; body, soul, voice, smile, eyes, 
all his being sings, as if he were created only for music ! Some 
woman or man carries the refrain and all "j'ine in," from the wise 
patriarch, with his crown of yellow-gray wool, to the veriest picka- 
ninny. But how can one describe this music, vibrating in the dead 
of night to the pulse-beats of human hearts .<* As well try to de- 
scribe the song of the thrush or the voice of the palm ! 

The folk-tales are most popular among the children, and indeed 
are handed down from generation to generation principally by them. 



Celebration of Emancipation^ Harbor Island 



Introduction. 1 9 

After the short twilight and the earlier part of the evening, when 
singing and dancing amuse the children, comes the story-telling 
time par excellence. This is usually about bedtime, and the little 
" Conchs " lie about upon the hard floor of the small hut and listen 
to one of the group, probably the eldest, "talk old stories." With 
eyes that show the whites in exclamation, and ejaculations of " O 
Lawd ! " '' Go' ! " '* Do now ! " etc., long drawn out in pleasure, 
the younger ones nestle close together, so "■ De Debbie " won't get 
them, as he does '' B' Booky " or " B' Rabby " of the story. 

These tales are divided into two classes, '^ old stories " and fairy 
stories ; the former particularly constituting the negro folk-lore, 
while the latter have been introduced from the same sources as the 
ordinary fairy tales of English children. It is often difficult to make 
the class distinction, for it is a curious fact that some of the fairy 
tales have been translated, so to speak, into old stories, and one 
easily recognizes in such a tale as "B' Jack an' de Snake " its Eng- 
lish ancestor of Jack the Giant-Killer. 

The folk-lore proper is mostly concerning animals, which, personi- 
fied, have peculiar and ofttimes thrilling adventures. Where, in 
our own negro-lore, the animals are called "Brer" by Harris, and 
" Buh " by Jones, among the Bahama negroes the term is contracted 
to " B'," and so one finds in " B' Rabby, who was a tricky fellow," 
the " Brer Rabbit " whom Uncle Remus has made famous to us as 
the hero of the folk-lore of the South. 

The conventional negro dialect, generally used in our American 
stories, will apply to the Bahama negroes only in part ; for their 
speech is a mixture of negro dialect, "Conch" cockney, and correct 
English pronunciations. In the following stories, which are given 
as nearly as possible verbatim, this apparent inconsistency will be 
noticed, for in the same story such expressions, for example, as " All 
right" and "Never mind" may be given in the cockney "Hall 
right" in negro dialect " N'er min', " or pronounced as written in 
correct English, and one never knows which pronunciation to ex- 
pect. 

In these stories one readily detects the influence of physical envi- 
ronment and the play of native invention in the predominance given 
to those animals and plants locally prominent, acting their parts 
among scenes borrowed from local surroundings. On the other 
hand, the introduction of the lion, elephant, and tiger suggests an 
heredity from African ancestors ; while similarly the rabbit, in the 
title role of hero, as rabbits are not indigenous to the Bahamas, 
points to the influence of American negro-lore. The isolation of 
the " out " islands from foreign influences, the scanty supply of 
books and newspapers, and the great lack of what are generally 



20 Introduction, 

termed amusements, have given especially good conditions for the 
development of a folk-lore at once recognized as peculiar and sec- 
tional. 

An indescribable flavor is added to these tales by the environ- 
ment of the people. An island out in the Atlantic arises, with low 
shores, from that indescribable blue water, and is covered by the 
paler blue of the skies of "Summerland." Heated by the glaring 
sun of midday, the smooth streets and long, hard beaches dazzle 
one with their whiteness ; or, bathed in silver radiance by the queen 
of night, these bare spaces stretch out like great ghosts of them- 
selves, cloaked in the grim darkness of surrounding vegetation. 
Querulous gulls catch fish in the tide-pools ; cunning little lizards, 
from orange-tree and stone wall, watch your every step ; and along 
the ocean beach sand-crabs swiftly run to the sheltering holes when 
you approach. In the clear water of the sea-gardens, one beholds 
the fans and feathers of the sea waving in response to tide and bil- 
low, and beneath them the creeping stars, the spiny urchins, and 
long, brown sea-cucumbers crawling among the tentacled annelids 
and anemones. Chasing in and out, above and around these more 
simply organized creatures, are fishes, banded in gold and black and 
orange, with long, waving filaments to their fins, and high foreheads 
which solemnly suggest an intellect only developed in higher forms. 
Then, finally, those colonies of coral animals which inhabit the top 
of a submarine precipice built of the skeletons of their ancestors 
through millions of generations, and which erelong will die to com- 
plete the foundation for another island or series of islands, are the 
high lights, as well as the shadows, of the picture. 

There is perpetual beauty on land and in the sea, while the balmy, 
equable air invites one to sail over the blue waters, or to lie in a 
hammock beneath the palms and listen to some black " Conch " 
"talk old stories." In each community one boy becomes much the 
best story-teller, and from such a source I took most of the follow- 
ing tales. But the quick, short gesture, the peculiar emphasis on 
the exciting words and phrases, the mirth now bubbling from eyes 
which anon roll their whites in horror, in short the Othello part of 
the tales, I cannot give. 



SONGS. 



I. 



I LOOKED O'ER YANDER. 



r&iz±: 



tm:h± 



E^ 



151=^ 



■i^r*- 



^ 



I looked o'er yan- der ; what I see? Somebod- y 's dy - ing ev - 'ry day. |^ 
See bright an - gels stand- ing dere ; Somebod- y 's dy - ing ev - 'ry day. ^ 



Chorus. 



m " I 1 — 



t==tt 



^-» 



^-U: 



* 



^— 



Ev - 'ry day, pas - sin' a - vay, Ev - 'ry day, pas - sin' a - vay, 



^-•-i 

^a^ 



-A — ^ — ^- 



A=it 



A- 



9^^T 



Ev - 'ry day, pas -sin' a - vay ; Somebod-y 's dy - ing ev - 'ry day. 

I looked o'er yander ; what I see ? 

Somebody 's dying ev'ry day. 
See bright angels standing dere, 

Somebody 's dying ev'ry day. Cho. 

Hell is deep, an' dark as 'spair. 

Somebody 's dying ev'ry day. 
Stop, O sinne' don' go dere. 

Somebody 's dying ev'ry day. Cho. 

Satin farred ^ 'is ball at me, 

Somebody 's dying ev'ry day. 
'Is ball had missed an' dropped in hell, 

Somebody's dying ev'ry day. Cho. 

I looked on mi ban's ; mi ban's looked new, 

Somebody's dying ev'ry day. 
I looked on mi feet ; mi feet looked new, 

Somebody 's dying ev'ry day. Cho. 



1 Fired, threw. 



24 



Bahama Songs and Stories, 

O come along, Moses, don' git lost ! 

Somebody 's dying ev'ry day. 
Stretch you' rod an' come acrost, 

Somebody 's dying ev'ry day. 



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II. 



LORD, I WISH I COULD PRAY. 



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Lord, I wish I could pray like Daniel pray; Lord, I wish I could 



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pray like Dan - '1 pray; Lord, I wish I, . . . Lord, I 




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wish I, . . Lord, I wish I could pray like Dan - '1 pray. 



Lord, I wish I could pray like Daniel pray ; 
Lord, I wish I could pray like Dan'l pray ; 

Lord, I wish I, Lord, I wish I, 
Lord, I wish I could pray like Dan'l pray. 



Go Gabrul, go soun' de trumpet now ; 
Go Gabrul, go soun' de trumpet now ; 

Go Gabrul, go Gabrul, 
Go Gabrul, go soun' de trumpet now. 

Lord, I wish I was in Heaving to-day ; 
Lord, I wish I was in Heaving to-day ; 

Lord, I wish I, Lord, I wish I, 
Lord, I wish I was in Heaving to-day. 

Lord, I wish I had wings like an angel's wing ; 
Lord, I wish I had wings like an angel's wing; 

Lord, I wish I, Lord, I wish I, 
Lord, I wish I had wings like an angel's wing. 



Did nt it Rain\ my Elder, 

III. 
HAIL! KING OF THE JEWS.* 



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Hail! King of the Jews,Hail! Star of de Eas'. I 'm com-in' to worship thee, 

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went up a -gain, an' 'E come no more, Yes, it was Je - sus my Lord. 



IV. 



DIDN'T IT RAIN, MY ELDER. 






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Did n't it rain, my el - der,Did n't it rain,good Lord,Did n't it rain for - ty days. 
Chorus. 



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For - ty days an' for - ty nights,Lord,didn't it rain for - ty days. 



Did n't it rain, my elder, 
Did n't it rain, good Lord, 
Did n't it rain forty days. Cho. 

Didn't it rain. Great Sestern, 
Did n't it rain to Key West too, 
- Did n't it rain forty days. Cho. 

Did n't it rain, my Leader, 

Did n't it rain to Rocky Bay too. 

Did n't it rain forty days. Cho. 

1 In this and the following songs where only one stanza is given, others are 
extemporized by the singers. 



26 



Bahama Songs and Stories, 



Chorus 



V. 



GIT ON BOARD. 




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Git on board, lit - tie chil - drun, Git on bo'd, lit - tie 



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chil-drun, Git on bo'd, lit - tie chil-drun, It's room fah ma - ny a 
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mo'-o. Says No - ah. En - och, an' E - li - jah,Lord, and all the Pro -phets 




too, No sec -ond class on bo'd detrain. No diff-ren' in de fa-are. 



Git on board, little childrun, 
Git on bo'd, little childrun, 
Git on bo'd, little childrun, 
It 's room fah many a mo'-o. 
Says Noah, Enoch, an' Elijah, 
Lord, and all the Prophets too. 
No second class on bo'd de train. 
No difFren' in de fa-are. Cho. 



Git on bo'd, ye swearers. 

Git on bo'd, rum drinkers. 

Git on bo'd, backsliders. 

There 's room fah many a mo'-o. 

The Gospel sails are histed. 

King Jesus is de crew. 

Bright angels is de captain, Lawd, 

An' what's a heavenly crew. Cho. 



Beautiful Stah, 



27 



VI. 



WHO BUILT DE ARK? 



Chorus. 



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Who built de ark ? I don' know,mi Lord. Who built de ark? I don' know,mi Lord. 

Fene. 



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Who built de ark ? I don' know, mi Lord ; No'h built de ark one day. 



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The first thing that No - ah did, 'E frame de ark right thro'. 
The second thing that No- ah did, 'E plank de ark right thro'. 



vn. 

BEAUTIFUL STA'H. 



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Beau-ti - ful sta'h,sta'h,sta'h!Beauti-fulsta'h,bright mahnin' sta'h.Beau-ti' ful 

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sta'h,sta'h,sta'h,good Lawd,a sta'h in der East. Al-tho'you see me go 'long so. 



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Sta'h in de East, I have my tri -ahls here be - low,The sta'h in de East. 



28 



Bahama Songs and Stories, 



VIII. 
GO DOWN, MOSES. 



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on de right - eous. Hey ! Hey ! Hey, my soul. 

Go down, Moses, hoi' de key, 
Don' let de vwin' bio' on de righteous. 
Hey ! Hey ! Hey, my soul. 

Hey ! come a fish by the name of vw'ale. 
Swallowed brothe' Jonah by the head an' tail-a, 
Hey ! Hey ! Hey, my soul. 

You want to go to heaven vw 'en you die. 
Jus' stop you' tongue from telling them lies. 
Hey ! Hey ! Hey, my soul. 



IX. 



DEAR SISTER, YI FEET STRIKE ZION. 



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Dear sis - ter, yi feet strike Zi - on, The lamps are lit - ted on you, I 

Chorus. 



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bid . ole 'ell a long fahr-well,The lamps are lit - ted on you. Love is the way, 



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Love is the way. Is the way to get to 'ev - un. By faith and humble pray'r. 

("With Dear brother, father, uncle, mother, etc., verses are made until all of the family and friends 
are brought in.) 



Love bro't de Savye down. 



29 



X. 

LOVE BRO'T DE SAVYE' DOWN. 
Chorus. -^ -^ Fine. 



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Love,]ove,love bro't de Savye' down,Love,love,love fah me. Take a lit-tle peep o - ve' 

B.C. 



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Jeffrey's wall, Love fah me. See them sinners when they rise an' fall,Love fah me. 

Chorus. Love, love, etc. 

Take a little peep ove' Jeffrey's wall. 

Love fah me. 
See them sinners when they rise an' fall, 

Love fah me. Cho. 

Chorus. 

Haid get wet with de midnight dew. 

Love fah me, 
The mahnin' star was a witness too, 

Love fah me. Cho. 



Chorus. 

Satin fi'ed 'is ball at me, 

Love fah me, 
'Is ball vwent misst, an' d rapped in hell, 

Love fah me. Cho. 



ZO 



Bahama Songs and Stories, 



XL 
WHEN DE MOON WENT DOWN. 



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When de moon went down in pur - pie stream,pur - pie stream, When de 



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sta's re - fused to shine,When ev - 'ry sta' dat dis - ap - peah, King 



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Je - sus will be mine, King Je - sus will be mine. 

When de moon went down in purple stream, 

Purple stream, 
When de sta's refused to shine. 
When ev'ry sta' dat disappeah, 

King Jesus will be mine, 

King Jesus will be mine. 

When de sun went down in purple stream, 

Purple stream. 
When de sta's refused to shine, 
When ev'ry sta' dat disappeah, 
' King Jesus will be mine. 
King Jesus will be mine. 



Jesus heaV the Sick, 



31 



XII. 
JESUS HEAL' THE SICK. 



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Je - sus heal' the sick, gave sight to the blind, An' 'e made the 



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crip - pie to walk an' talk. 'E roll the stone from o - ver the 

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grave, An' 'e gave them com - mish- un to fly. Bow low. An' 'e 



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gave them com- mish - un to fly, Bro - the' Lass' -rass. An' 'e 

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gave them com- mish - un to fly, Si - mon Pe - ter. An' 'e 



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gave them commish-un to fly, An' 'e gave them commish - un to fly. 



32 



Bahama Songs and Stories, 



XIII. 



O! LOOK-A DEATH. 



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I. O! look- a death, it stole my moth - er 



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stole my moth - er 



way, 



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a - way. 
D.S.& B.C.* 



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Ef you get there be - fore I do, It stole my moth - er a - way ; 

Tell my Lawd I'm on the way, It stole my moth - er a - way; 

Ja - cob's lad - der mus' be long, It stole my moth - er a - way; 

• The an - gels walk from 'ev - un down. It stole my moth - er a - way. 

* Sing from 'S' to D.S. four times. 



Chorus. O ! look-a death, etc. 

Ef you get there before I do, 

It stole my mother away ; 
Tell my Lawd I'm on the way, 

It stole my mother away ; 
Jacob's ladder mus' be long, 

It stole my mother away ; 
The angels walk from 'evun down, 

It stole my mother away. Cho. 

Chorus. 

If I 'd-a died when I was young, 

It stole my mother away ; 
I would not have this race to run. 

It stole my mother av/ay ; 
Now all my trials 'ere below, 

It stole my mother away ; 
An' when in 'evin we shall appear. 

It stole my mother away. Cho. 

Chorus. 

Come 'long, Moses, don' get doubt, 
It stole my mother away ; 



/ thdt I saw my Brothe, 



33 



If you get doubt you will be los% 
It stole my mother away ; 

Mary weep, an' Martha mourn, 
It stole my mother away ; 

It won' be long before I go, 

It stole my mother away. Cho. 



XIV. 

I THO'T I SAW MY BROTHE'. 

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I tho't I saw my bro - the' When 'e en- ter'd in - to the bright 



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king-dom, When 'e put-a on 'is long white robe,An' it fit 'im wer - y vwell. 
Chorus. 



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It fit 'im wer - y vwell. It fit 'im wer - y vwell; He 



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put-a on a star - ry crown, An' it fit 'im wer - y vwell. 

I tho't I saw my brothe' 
When 'e enter'd into the bright kingdom, 
When 'e put-a on 'is long white robe, 
An' it fit 'im wery vwell. Cho. 

Swing me chariot ; swing me, 
All-a my trials with me, 
Put-a on de long white robe. 

An' it fit him very vwell. Cho. 



34 



Bahama Songs and Stories, 



XV. 



EV'RYBODY WANTS TO KNOW. 






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Ev - 'ry - bod -y wants to know, mi Lawd, How I died, how I died, 




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how I died; Ev- 'ry - bod -y wants to know, mi Lawd,how I died; Ev - 'ry 

ElKE. 



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bod - y wants to know how I died. Car - ry my bod - y to the 

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grave - yard, grave-yard, grave-yard, Car - ry then my bod - y to the 

D.C. 



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rave - yard, Ev - 'ry - bod - y wants to know how I died. 



Ev'rybody wants to know, mi Lawd, 

How I died, how I died, how I died ; 

Ev'rybody wants to know, mi Lawd, how I died ; 

Ev'rybody wants to know how I died. 

Carry my body to the grave-yard, grave-yard, grave-yard, 

Carry then my body to the grave-yard, 

Ev'rybody wants to know how I died. 

Ev'rybody wants to know, mi Lawd, 

How I died, how I died, how I died ; 

Ev'rybody wants to know, mi Lawd, how I died ; 

Ev'rybody wants to know, how I died. 

Carry my brother to the grave-yard, grave-yard, grave-yard, 

Carry then my brother to the grave-yard, 

Ev'rybody wants to know how I died. 



Evry Day be Sunday. 



35 



XVI. 



EVRY DAY BE SUNDAY. 



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Good mahn-in' brether - en, how you do? Ev - 'ry day be Sun-day by an' by ; 
An' how are you, an' I am well, Ev - 'ry day be Sun-day by an' by. 

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Cry - ing, shine now; Ev - 'ry day be Sun -day by an' by. 

Good mahnin' bretheren, how you do } 

Ev'ry day be Sunday by an' by ; 
An' how are you, an' I ani well, 

Ev'ry day be Sunday by an' by. 
Crying, shine now ; 

Ev'ry day be Sunday by and by. 

Come along, sister, don' get los', 

Ev'ry day be Sunday by an' by ; 
Jes' stretch your rod an' come across, 

Ev'ry day be Sunday by an' by. 
Crying, shine now ; 

Ev'ry day be Sunday by an' by. 

I spoke to Moses on the sea, 

Ev'ry day be Sunday by an' by ; 
Jes' stretch your rod an' come across, 

Ev'ry day be Sunday by an' by. 
Crying, shine now ; 

Ev'ry day be Sunday by an' by. 

I spoke to Peter on the sea, 

Ev'ry day be Sunday by an' by ; 
He left 'is net an' foller me, 

Ev'ry day be Sunday by an' by. 
Crying, shine now ; 

Ev'ry day be Sunday by an' by. 



36 



Bahama Songs and Stories. 



XVII. 
GOOD NEWS IN THE KINGDOM. 



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Chorus. 



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Good news in the kin'-dom, An' I won' die no mo', mi lead-er; 



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Good news in the kin' - dom, Lawd, I won' die no mo' 



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The Ro - man sol - dier pierced my Lawd,An' I won' die no mo' ;They 



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pierced 'im to 'is ten - der side, An' I won' die no mo'. 

Chorus. Good news, etc. 

The Roman soldier pierced my Lawd, 

An' I won' die no mo' ; 
They pierced 'im to 'is tender side, 

An' I won' die no mo'. Cho. 

Chorus. 

I sahr Kin' Peter on the sea, 

An' I won' die no mo' ; 
'E left 'is net an' foller'd m.e, 

An' I won* die no mo'. Cho. 

Chorus. 

Come on, Moses, don' get doubt, 

An' I won' die no mo' ; 
Stretch your rod an' come across. 

An' I won' die no mo'. Cho. 



Chorus. 

I do believe wi-rout I doubt. 

An' I won' die no mo'. 
The Christians has a right to shout, 

An' I won' die no mo'. Cho. 



Dig my Grave Long an Narrow, 

Chorus. 

I heard sich a ramblin' in the sky, 

An' I won' die no mo' ; 
I thought my Lawd was passin' by, 

An' I won' die no mo'. Cho. 



37 



XVIII. 
DIG MY GRAVE LONG AN' NARROW. 




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Dig my grave long an' nar-row,Make my cof - fin long and strong. 



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Bright an - gels to my feet, Bright an - gels to my head,Bright 



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an - gels to car-ry me when I die. Oh ! mi lit-tle soul goin' shine,shine, 



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Oh ! mi lit - tie soul goin' shine like a stahr, Oh ! mi lit - tie soul goin' 



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shine like a stahr, good Lawd, I 'm bound to 'evin at rest. 



38 



Bahama Songs and Stories. 



^? 



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XIX. 
I WISH I COULD PRAY. 



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I wish I could pray like Ma - ry Mahg - 'a - lene, I 



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wish I could pray like Ma -ry Mahg'a -lene ; I wish I could pray,Lawd,I 



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wish I could pray,Lawd,I wish I could pray,Lawd,like Mary Mahg-'a-lene. 



I wish I could pray like Mary Mahg'alene, 
I wish I could pray like Mary Mahg'alene ; 

I wish I could pray, Lawd, 

I wish I could pray, Lawd, 
I wish I could pray, Lawd, like Mary Mahg'alene. 

Teach me the way like Mary Mahg'alene, 
Teach me the way like Mary Mahg'alene ; 

Teach me the way, Lawd, 

Teach me the way, Lawd, 
Teach me the way, Lawd, like Mary Mahg'alene. 

Anybody here like Mary Mahg'alene, 
Anybody here like Mary Mahg'alene ; 

Anybody here, Lawd, 

Anybody here, Lawd, 
Anybody here, Lawd, like Mary Mahg'alene. 

Cast out seven devils like Mary Mahg'alene, 
Cast out seven devils like Mary Mahg'alene ; 

Cast out seven devils, Lawd, 

Cast out seven devils, Lawd, 
Cast out seven devils, Lawd, like Mary Mahg'alene. 



Do7it you feel the Fire a-burnin. 



39 




XX. 
DON'T YOU FEEL THE FIRE A-BURNIN'. 
Chorus. 



±s± 



CJV 



t=?: 



lEl 



:m 



?S 



i^* — ^- 



^i=^=^-=^-=i=i 



-\- — N- 



^ 



Don't you feel the fire a -bum- in', You feel the fire a- burn - in', You 



:1^ 



j^: 



^ 



■ N ^^=1 — m 



feel the fire 



burn - in', So pre - cious to your soul ? 



iJ: 




.(B-l_#_^-^«- 



m 



m- 



^— («- 



1/ — ^^ — ^ 



p- 



aK*-J-HP-E3l: 



t^t^ 



:t^=^ 



Rise an' give to glo-ry,Shout Hal-le- lu - iah,Rise an'give to glo - ry. So 



i 



Sl* 



1^=lL=i: 



NT-r^— fr= ]g: 



«=p: 



*^ 






pre - cious to your soul. My broth-er, you feel the fire a - burn - in', You 

4? — ^ ^ — ^^. — ^ — I 



:=^ 



^^ 



m-f 



i= 



-V — " 



feel the fire a - burn - in', You feel the fire a - burn - in', So 



fi^^^^^ 



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& 



P' F P' f 



i^^tziU 



^ • f — •— # 



pre-cious to your soul. 

0^ if 


Rise an' give to 


glo - ry. Shout Hal-le - 


lu - iah, 


L/J+M.-^ m . m . 


1 P ' m 


1 




yn if 1 y' ■ y 


1 \j 


P ' ^ m • m ' 


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Rise an' give to glo - ry, So pre - cious to your soul. 

( All verses are alike except for the substitution of the names of the other relations, leaders, min- 
isters, etc., etc., in the place of brother.) 



40 



Bahama Songs and Stories. 



XXI. 
OPON DE ROCK. 



-^-=^- 



s 



IzE 



^ 



-<5i- 



Bro - the' An-drew, whey you bin when de dry wea - the' come ? 



v-^^ 


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r-^ — 1— 


N 


O 


-^ — ^ 


p p p p 


/ \\ \^ m f m m 


1 ^ 


am 


1 


J J 


1 1 I 1 


{(\^\>\\j\ \ 


1 




_^ 




w w \j y 


V}k I u^l V— 


- 1 — 


\ 




m 





Bin-a on de rock, says,wait-in' for rain. Bro-the' An-drew, whey you 

12—- -^- 



^fe 



*: 



-^^^EE^^^ 



Xr- 



t: 



-<S- 



bin when de dry wea - the' come ? Bin on de rock, says, 

Chorus. 



a 



5 



^& 



^^^^ 



-<s 



wait - in' for rain. Op - on de rock Op - on de rock. 



fcrrfc 



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s 



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Op - on de rock, let de wat - er run out. Op - on de rock. 



^^=^^4 



I 



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^G- 



Op - on de rock, Op - on de rock of 



ges. 



Turn Back an Pray, 



41 



XXII. 
TURN BACK AN' PRAY. 



i 



Chorus. 



3^E 



—f^- 



*: 






Pray, lead - er, pray; why don't you pray? Ohl the 

Fine. 



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-^- 



t: 



pret - ty bright star shall be your guide, Turn back an' pray. 



g 



i: 






^ 



^ 



W- 



M- 



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i 



Go down to the foun-tain if you dry, Turnback an' pray; An' 

B.C. 



W- 



-<5>- 



there you '11 drink your full sup - ply, Turn back an' pray. 



Chorus. Pray, leader, pray, etc. 

Go down to the fountain if you dry, 

Turn back an' pray ; 
An' there you'll drink your full supply. 

Turn back an' pray. Cho. 

Chorus. 

I was a mourner jus' like you, 

Turn back an' pray ; 
Oh ! did n't I mourn till I get through, 

Turn back an' pray. Cho. 

Chorus. 

Oh ! the tallest tree in Paradise, 

Turn back an' pray ; 
Them Christians calls it "Tree of Life,** 

Turn back an' pray. Cho. 

Chorus. 

Hark ! Hark ! I heard 'im groan. 

Turn back an' pray ; 
I heard 'im groan those pitiful groans, 

Turn back an' pray. Cho. 



42 



Bahama Songs and Stories, 
Chorus. 

Mary weep an' Martha mourn, 

Turn back and pray ; 
Yes ! my Lawd was crucified, 

Turn back an' pray. Cho. 



XXIII. 
COME OUT THE WILDERNESS. 



:^? 



4=i^ 



-^- 



i 



Moth- er, for your soul's sake, Come out the wil - der- ness, 



i 



i==t 



^ 



:1i 



Come out the wil - der - ness, Come out the wil - der = ness ; 



i 



W- 



2; 




Moth - er, for your soul's sake. Come out the wil - der - ness, 

^ Chokus. 

-• •- # — 



!»- 



£E^t 



Talk - in' a - bout the Lawd. Bin 



long 



time 



a - 



fct 



V- 



is 



S 



ft 



-&- 



talk - in' 'bout the Lawd! Bin a longtime a- talk-in"bout the Lawd! 
(A number of verses formed with brother, sister, etc.) 



Um Died once to Die no Mo\ 



43 



XXIV. 
UM DIED ONCE TO DIE NO MO'. 



-9r 



-Ai 



t. 



t: 



P 



Um died once to die no mo', Ah, 



^^- 



Um 



:5== 



It 



-b'- 



t=t:: 



died once to die no mo', Um bin on the se - cret prayer. 

Um died once to die no mo', 

Ah-a-a, 
Um died once to die no mo\ 
Um bin on the secret prayerv 

My mother, sence I saw you last, 

Ah-a-a, 
My mother, sence I saw you last, 
Um bin on the secret prayer. 

Um bin down an' view the cross, 

Ah-a-a, 
Um bin down an' view the cross, 
Um bin on the secret prayer. 

Goin' to walk an' talk with the angels, Lawd, 

Ah-a-a, 
Goin' to walk an' talk with the angels, Lawd, 
Um bin on the secret prayer. 

Um bin down to Jacob's well, 

Ah-a-a, 
Um bin down to Jacob's well, 
Um bin on the secret prayer. 

Bin an' drink the living springs, 

Ah-a-a, 
Bin an' drink the living springs, 
Um bin on the secret prayer. 

Dear father, sence I sahr you las', 
Ah-a-a, 



44 



Bahama Songs and Stories, 



Dear father, sence I sahr you las', 
Um bin on the secret prayer. 

I'll shout my way to 'eaven, Lawd, 

Ah-a-a, 
I'll shout my way to 'eaven, Lawd, 
Um bin on the secret prayer. 



XXV. 
THE-R HEAVEN BELLS ARE RINGIN'. 



Chorus. 



a 



&: 



W=^- 



f^^ 



-bf- 



The-r heav - en 



bells 



are ring - m 



Arch - an 



jels are 
Fine. 



ntt 


















N 




<Cn 


/S 


A ^ ^ » ^ 


• 


^ 


P V 




1 


/ p 


^ 


r 


r 


r 


•■ 


■; 


f r J 1 > 




1 


IT ^ 1 ' " 


\j ! , 1 , K 


yi 






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m 1 




-h- 


^ 


l^ 


y 


y 


1^ 




V 






• • 1 



sing - in'; The-r heav - en bells are ring - in', In de mah - nin*. 



-^ — N- 



Oh come my dear - es' sis - ter, An' don' you wan' to go, To 



^ 



I 



t 



^ 



2; 



sit 'long side a Je - sus. An' don' you wan' to go ? 



( Any number of verses may be made by substituting the words "mother," " father," etc., for 
sister " in the above.) 



Do you Live by Prayer. 



45 



i^^i^ 



S:^ 



XXVI. 
JESUS BIN HYERE. 



--t 



t-^EE^- 



^— 



'^^^ 



Je - sus bin hyere, bin hyere ; Bless my soul, an' 



fci: 



Id? 



gone. 



^- 



t 



z? 



Je - sus bin hyere, bin hyere. Oh de Lawd pass by. 



I 



XXVII. 
DO YOU LIVE BY PRAYER.? 






vd^ 



.(Z- 



t=F 



-2?i- 



f— ^ 



Do you live by prayer PDoyou live by prayer ? Oh yes, I do live by prayer. 

Do you live by prayer ? 
Do you live by prayer } 
Oh yes, I do live by prayer. 

Re-e-member me, 
Re-e-member me, 
Oh yes, remember me. 

Have you passed here before } 
Have you passed here before 1 
Oh yes, I have passed here before. 

When I can read 

My title clear 

To mansions in the skies, 

I '11 bid farewell 

To ev'ry fear. 

An' wipe my weepin' eyes. 

Then I can smile 

At Satan's rage 

To see a burnin' world. 



46 



Bahama Songs a^id Stories, 



XXVIII. 
I CAN'T STAY IN EGYPT LAN'. 



:rf=^ 



:i|^ 



^£ 



=iP=i^ 



V- 



V- 



O sin - ne' man, how can you stan', I can - not stay in de 



D V 




(Cs 










3 












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m 


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f 


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-J 


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k 


V 


[^ 


y 


1/ 


/ 






V 






« 



E - 




gyptla-an'; My gos - pel go - in' from sho' to sho', 
Chorus. ^ 



/TS 



A- 



1^ 



r-iv- 



I 



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afiE 



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can't stay in E- gypt Ian'. Ca - an't stay a- way, Ca - an't stay a 



- way, 



^1 



# 



^i^ 



li- 



atn 



Ca - an't stay a - way,mi Lord,Can't stay in de E ■ gypt Ian'. 

sinne' man how can you stan', 
I cannot stay in de Egypt Ian' ; 

My gospel goin from sho' to sho', 
I can't stay in Egypt Ian'. Cho. 

To-morrow mornin', baptisum day ; 

I cannot stay in de Egypt Ian' ; 
My gospel goin' from sho' to sho', 

I can't stay in Egypt Ian'. Cho. 

1 looked on mi feet ; mi feet looked new, 

I cannot stay in de Egypt Ian' ; 
I swear by God I was runnin' too, 
I can't stay in Egypt Ian'. Cho. 



Nothin but the Righteous, 



47 



XXIX. 
NOTHIN' BUT THE RIGHTEOUS. 



^ 



feS^ 



=1^ 



4--^ 



i-» 1 


Noth - in' but 

^ \ N 


the Right- eous shall get 

N N ^ v 


in 


the 


gate, 




A 1^ B 


R K K 


fS ^' K h 


1 


^^t#- 


-O 9 # 


• J ' ml 













• • • ^ 






r; 




— 


LEl 1 


U — 


V 


V — 


— i 



Noth - in' but the Right- eous shall get in the gate, 



i^i=^^=^^^S 



i=^: 



:B 



w- 



^=^ 



Noth -in' but the Righteous shall get in the gate, O Lawd,howlong ? 

Nothin' but the Righteous shall get in the gate, 
Nothin' but the Righteous shall get in the gate, 
Nothin' but the Righteous shall get in the gate ; 
O Lawd, how long? 

Teach me the way to get in the gate, 
Teach me the way to get in the gate, 
Teach me the way to get in the gate ; 
O Lawd, how long? 

Give me the faith to get in the gate, 
Give me the faith to get in the gate. 
Give me the faith to get in the gate ; 
O Lawd, how long? 

Give me the hands for to shout that day, 
Give me the hands for to shout that day. 
Give me the hands for to shout that day ; 
O Lawd, how long? 

Nothing but the Righteous shall wear the crown, 
Nothing but the Righteous shall wear the crown. 
Nothing but the Righteous shall wear the crown, 
O Lawd, how long? 

Slip an' slide those golden streets. 
Slip an' slide those golden streets, 
Slip an' slide those golden streets ; 
O Lawd, how long? 



48 



Bahama Songs and Stories, 



XXX. 
DEATH WAS A LITTLE T'ING. 




rT\ 



V^ 



• — • 



4=: 



.— L-^ 



-k- 



-t 



-t 



Death was a lit - tie [t'ing, It go from do' to do', Oh you 

J2_-^ — - — 1 1 — ^ — ^ — ^- 




take 'im in de 


si • 


■ len' 


grave, 


[t nev - er 


to 


rise 


no 


J , \> 




s 


s 








A 1 


/ b 








m 


m 


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m 


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w 


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mo'. Oh glo 




:i 



ry Hal - le - lu - jah ! Praise ye 



A- 



the 
D.B. 



I 



Jig 



-($'- 



Lawd, Oh glo - ry Hal - le - lu 
( Sing from •8' to D. S. unto the end.) 



jah ! Go an' serve de Lawd. 



Death was a little t'ing, 

It go from do' to do', 
Oh you take 'im in de silen' grave, 

It never to rise no mo'. 
Oh glory Hallelujah ! 

Praise ye the Lawd, 
Oh glory Hallelujah ! 

Go an' serve de Lawd. 



It is death, Hallelujah ! 

Praise ye de Lawd, 
It is death. Hallelujah ! 

I 'm goin' serve de Lawd, 
Pray, brother. Hallelujah ! 

Praise ye de Lawd. 

Pray, my brother. Hallelujah ! 

I 'm goin' serve de Lawd, 
Sing, sister. Hallelujah ! 

Praise ye de Lawd, 
Sing, sister. Hallelujah ! 

I 'm goin' serve de Lawd. 



Coni ^longy Brother, 



49 



XXXI. 
MY JESUS LED ME TO THE ROCK. 



r=fcfe 



s 



±. 



H \- 



tif: 



^^-»—n 



-^^- 



My Je - sus led me to the rock; Oh my! Oh my! I 



t 



s 



N — ^ — ^ — ^^- 



H ^- 



-^-> 



-K— N— •- 






heard such a ram -blin' in the sky, I tho't 't was my Lord comin' down. 



XXXII. 
COM' 'LONG, BROTHER. 






5f=^ 



:p=P- 



X^ 



^^-# 



E 



-» — •- 



^ 



-to*» 



'V — h 



-^»! — F 




My broth - er, it 's no par - tik - a - lar place fah you, An' I 

Fine. 



^- 



-P-— 



t 



SE2 



=i: 



^ 



-«- 



sahr a cit- y in my new. Com"long, brother, go with me, I 



D+t It 






N 


N 


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L/Sa*^ 


n ' N 


^ 








1 




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1 


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1 — 1 — 







sahr a 



cit 



in my new. Com', go with me to the 



&S- 



House of God, I 



sahr 



cit 



in my new. 



My brother, it's no partikalar place fah you. 

An' I sahr a city in my new. 
Com' 'long, brother, go with me, 

I sahr a city in my new. 
Com', go with me to the House of God, 

I sahr a city in my new. 

Jacob's ladde' mus' be long, 
I sahr a city in my new. 



so 



Bahama Songs and Stories, 



De angels shout from heavin down, 
I sahr a city in my new. 

Pray, my brothe', you soon be free, 

I sahr a city in my new ; 
Pray with the Spirit God in your soul, 

I sahr a city in my new. 



XXXIII. 

NEVER A MAN SPEAK LIKE THIS MAN. 
Chorus. 



Oh ^ 




















M. * - 




i' 1 '^ 1 m 














m 








z 


A li t"' I 




m 










r 








k 


irh ^ 1 • r 


bf 


^ 












V 


V 


^ 




\s\) 4- V 


\/ 






1/ 


V, 




[/ 










«J 






1/ 


/ 


V 


V 













Oh ! look - a' death, look - a' death, She 's trav - 'lin' thro' [the 




fc:?- 



1^- 



-jJi -I- 



i 



Ian', She 's trav; - 'lin' thro' the Ian', For I nev - e' 

EiNB. 



sawhr 



w 



r 



:i 



man for to speak like this man. I wish ole Sa -tan would be still, I 

An' let me do my Mas- ter's will, I 



i 



1^ 



m 



^> 



B.C. 



:F^=t^F 



I 



nev - 


e' 


sawhr 


a 


man 


for 


nev - 


e' 


sawhr 


a 


man 


for 



to speak like this man 
to speak like this man. 



Chorus. Oh! look-a' death, etc. 

I wish ole Satan would be still, 

I neve' sawhr a man for to speak like this man ; 
And let me do my Master's will, 

I neve' sawhr a man for to speak like this man. Cho. 

Chorus. 
I heard sich a ram'lin' in the sky, 

I neve' sawhr a man for to speak like this man ; 
I tho't my Lawd was passin' by, 

I neve' sawhr a man for to speak like this man. Cho. 



Goin to Ride on de Cross, 

Chorus. 

Jacob's ladder mus' be long, 

I neve' sawhr a man for to speak like this man ; 
The angels shout from 'eavin down, 

I neve' sawhr a man for to speak like this man. Cho. 



51 



Chorus. 

I saw King Peter on the sea, 

I neve' sawhr a man for to speak like this man ; 
He left his net an' follow me, 

I neve' sawhr a man for to speak like this man. Cho. 



XXXIV. 
GOIN' TO RIDE ON DE CROSS. 



crahs, Goin' to ride on de cross, In heaven for - ev 



n+t 






/^ 












L/^ON ^ «« m P 1 


s 


S 


N 


1 


1 


x ^ \ R« \ ' ' r 




K 


R 


1 1 \ \ 


irn i J • ■ J J I' 




S^ 


s^ 


J J P 


\s\) 4- • • • J V ^ "^ 


• . ^ ^ 




^ 


J 1 


Oh mi Je - sus ride on de cross, 


Goin' 


to ride 


on 


de 


y'^ m m 


m » P 


1 n 


N 


s 




11 


/\ \ ]• \j 


r 1 1 


J 


P 


K^ (V 


__ N_ 


p 


irh ^j ^j 


J y 


J • 


J ^ < 


<^j 11 


• W J-^-^ ^— 


V 1 ^ 








» 


^ II 



mo . 



Oh mi Jesus ride on de cross, 
Goin to ride on de crahs, 
Goin' to ride on de cross. 
In heaven foreve'mo'. 



Jesus says 'e bette' than gole, 
Says 'e bette' than gole. 
Says 'e bette' than gole. 
In heaven foreve'mo'. 



52 



Bahama Songs and Stories, 



XXXV. 
DON'T YOU WEEP AFTER ME. 



i 



^^3^^^='^=^ 



^^ 



^-r 



1^ 



-& 



P^3E? 



ttc 



When um dead an' bur - ied, Don't you weep af - ter me 



[— &«TTS-t- 


-f- 


-N 


-hH 


v-^- 


-^— t- 








m 




^— 


J 


-•'— - 


• 


—m — 


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-5= 


-\T. 




b — 


f^ 















—^ — 











When um dead an' bur - ied, Don't you weep af - ter me 



i 



Ss«=F: 



^ 



w 



When um dead an' bur - ied, Don't you weep af 



Ss«=F 




ter 



t 



^- 



-^- 



-^ 



me. For 



don' want you to weep af 



ter 



me. 



When um dead an' buried, 

Don't you weep after me ; 
When um dead an' buried, 

Don't you weep after me ; 
When um dead an' buried. 

Don't you weep after me, 
For I don' want you to weep after me. 

Saihn' on the ocean, 

Don't you weep after me ; 
Sailin' on the ocean, 

Don't you weep after me ; 
Sailin' on the ocean, 

Don't you weep after me, 
For I don' want you to weep after me. 

In the old ship of Zion, 

Don't you weep after me^ ; 
In the old ship of Zion, 

Don't you weep after me ; 
In the old ship of Zion, 

Don't you weep after me, 
For I don' want you to weep after me. 



Dont you Weep after Me, 53 

Kin' Peter is the capt'in, 

Don't you weep after me ; 
Kin' Peter is the capt'in, 

Don't you weep after me ; 
Kin' Peter is the capt'in, 

Don't you weep after me. 
For I don' want you to weep after me. 

Bright angels is the sailors, 

Don't you weep after me ; 
Bright angels is the sailors, 

Don't you weep after me ; 
Bright angels is the sailors. 

Don't you weep after me. 
For I don' want you to weep after me. 

You poor distressed sinners, 

Don't you weep after me ; 
You poor distressed sinners, 

Don't you weep after me ; 
You poor distressed sinners, 

Don't you weep after me, 
For I don' want you to weep after me. 

Oh, look-a' Mary, 

Don't you weep after me ; 
Oh, look-a' Mary, 

Don't you weep after me ; 
Oh, look-a' Mary, 

Don't you weep after me. 
For I don' want you to weep after me. 

She 's lookin' over Jordun, 

Don't you weep after me ; 
She 's lookin' over Jordun, 

Don't you weep after me ; 
She 's lookin' over Jordun, 

Don't you weep after me, 
For I don' want you to weep after me. 

Oh, look-a' Martha, 

Don't you weep after me ; 
Oh, look-a' Martha, 

Don't you weep after me ; 



54 Bahama Songs and Stories, 

Oh, look-a' Martha, 

Don't you weep after me, 
For I don' want you to weep after me. 

Oh, run along my friends, 
Don't you weep after me ; 

Oh, run along my friends, 
Don't you weep after me ; 

Oh, run along my friends. 
Don't you weep after me, 

For I don' want you to weep after me. 

Tell my Lawd I'm coming. 
Don't you weep after me ; 

Tell my Lawd I'm coming. 
Don't you weep after me ; 

Tell my Lawd I'm coming, 
Don't you weep after me. 

For I don' want you to weep after me. 

(There seems to be no end to the verses of this song.)^ 



Oh ! We all got Religion, 



55 



XXXVI. 
OH! WE ALL GOT RELIGION. 



V "0 N 




IV 






m . 


m 


f 


m 








cv H 


/ Z P 




m 




• 


E 








W 


# 






r^ i a 








.__L(_._ 


1^ Iv ! , 1 






\M;.4- • 





/ 


"■ 


— U— 


1/ 








V 


— U— 


1 • 1 



My fa - the', where war you? My fa - the' , where w^ar you ? My 




t: 



fa - the', where war you, When my good Lawd was there? 
Chorus. 




Oh ! we all got re - li- gion in that day, in that day, in that day ; Oh! we 



t 



9 



-h ^ ^^ ^- 



^V- 



^-=x 



:t: 



all got re - li-gion in that day. Wait on, the trump shall sound. 

My fathe', where war you ? 
My fathe', where war you ? 
My fathe', where war you, 
When my good Lawd was there.? Cho. 

My mothe', where war you.'' 

My mothe', where war you? 

My mothe', where war you, 

When my good Lawd was there .^^ Cho. 

My brothe', where war you.f* 
My brothe', where war you.? 
My brothe', where war you, 
When my good Lawd was there } Cho. 

You swearers, where war you .? 

You swearers, where war you .? 

You swearers, where war you, 

When my good Lawd was there } Cho. 

You drunkards, where war you } 
You drunkards, where war you } 
You drunkards, where war you, 
When my good Lawd was there. Cho. 



5^ Bahama Songs and Stories, 

My mourners, where war you ? 
My mourners, where war you? 
My mourners, where war you, 
When my good Lawd was there ? Cho. 

My leaders, where war you ? 
My leaders, where war you? 
My leaders, where war you. 
When my good Lawd was there? Cho. 

Chorus. ( To be sung after last verse.) 

Oh, the jin-i-wine religion 
In that day, in that day, in that day ; 
Oh, the jin-i-wine religion in that day. 
Wait on, the trump shall sound. 



/ Wa7z to Go to ^Evun, 



57 



XXXVII. 
I WAN' TO GO TO 'EVUN. 



Chorus. 



*=fc 



::& 



Sati 



t^^ 



-#-•-•- 



:tq 



Give a - 


way, Jor 


- dun, Give 


a 


- way. 


Jor 


- dun, 


Give 


a - way. 


V ^ i> 


V 


s 


N \ 


\ 


\^ 




K 


N 


N N 1 


/ J J 1 


\' 


_^ 


R K 


i\ 


m 


-• 


— • — 


J 1 i ' 1 


IT \ * ^ m 













m ^ 1 


v^ ; — • • 


^ 














1 



Jor - dun, I wan' to 






wan' 


to go to 


'ev 


- un 


to see my Lawd. 


I 


see 


bright an - 


gels 
D.C. 


1 


yjf 


^ m 


\ 


\ 


N N ^ ^ 




_S 


^ ^ III 


/ 






K 


K 


N K N J 






J J III 


f? 




b 1 ■ 




-•— 


m m m 


• 




« 


^ II 


v^ 


^ 'l> 


1/ ^ 










• 1 1 


c- 





















stand - in' there, I wan' to go to 'ev - un to see my Lawd. 

Chorus. Give away, Jordun, etc. 

I look'd over yander ; \vhat I see ^ 

T wan' to go to 'evun to see my Lawd. 
I see bright angels standin' there, 

I wan' to go to 'evun to see my Lawd. Cho. 

Chorus. 

The talles' tree in Par-i-dise, 

I wan' to go to 'evun to see my Lawd. 

The Christians call it " Tree of Life," 

I wan' to go to 'evun to see my Lawd. Cho. 

Chorus. 

Jus' le' me put on mi long white robe, 
I wan' to go to 'evun to see my Lawd. 

I '11 march Jerusalem 'round an' 'round, 

I wan' to go to 'evun to see my Lawd. Cho. 



58 



Bahama Songs and Stories, 



XXXVIII. 
I LONG TO SEE THAT DAY. 



Chorus. 






P 



drz: 





Roll, Jor 
In rt 


- din, 

^ 


roll, Je - ru 


- sa - 


lem 


my 


hap - py .home ; 
Fine. 




/■, t> ^ 








K 


p 


^ 1 


^ 


* w- j' 




o . m 


^ ' 






J »' 1 




^^ _i * -" 1 1 






# 


* 1 




; d 




1 'l^ 


L 






1 


K> 

















Roll, Jor - din, roll, 



long 



to 



see that day. 




1^ 



1^=^=1: 



:^^=1^ 



li— 



--t- 



fi-A 



I wish ole Sa - tan would be still, I long to see that day ; An' 

-K ^ ^ \ V N V s s: N- 



:1^ 



I 



4-- 



^-4 



let me do my Mas - ter's will, I long to see that day. 



Chorus. Roll, Jordin, roll, etc. 

I wish ole Satan would be still, 

I long to see that day ; 
An' let me do my Master's will, 

I long to see that day. Cho. 

Chorus. 

Run up, father, before too late, 

I long to see that day ; 
Bfo' King Jesus shet 'is gate, 

I long to see that day. Cho. 

Chorus. 

You knock me down, I rise agen, 

I long to see that day ; 
An' fight you with my fired sword, 

I long to see that day. Cho. 

Chorus. 

or Satan's med an' I am gled, 

I long to see that day ; 
Because 'e misst the soul of men, 

I long to see that day. Cho. 



Lawd, Remember Me, 



59 



XXXIX. 
LAWD, REMEMBER ME. 



^^ 



m^ 



^ 



iS^ 



-&- 




De win' bio' eas' an' de win' bio' wes', It bio' like Judg-men' day. 
Chorus. 



:^: 



-V 



5 — ^ 



X-'- 



-^ 



j^=3^ 



^ 



H \- 



o 

n+t if It 


sin - 


ne' 


you bet - 


ter pray, Do, 


Lawd, re - 


mem -bei 


me ! 
B.S. 


y *^j(- ^ 




Rn 




<? 





^ f 


m 


rD 1 


Vl if J^ 




^ 


• P 




\j 


1 D 


\ m 


r 1 


fK ■** # # # 




Yj 


h K 


\j ___ rL 


1 


vu; 






y ^ 


' 


•^ ' ' ' \j 


1 


J 



















Do, Lawd, re - mem - ber mel Do, Lawd, re - mem-ber me! 

De win' bio' eas' an' de win' bio' wes', 
It bio' like Judgmen' day. Cho. 

Jacob's ladder mus' be long, 

De angels shout from heavin down, Cho. 

Halleluiah to de Lam', 

My Lawd on de gainin' en'. Cho. 

Com' along, Mosis, don' git doubt. 

If you git doubt you will be los'. Cho. 

Mi he'd get wet wid di midnight dew, 
De mahnin stah was a witniss too. Cho. 



Hark ! hark ! I 'ear 'em groan, 

I hear 'em groan de pitiful groan. Cho. 

I spoke to Pete' on de sea, 

'E left 'is net an' foliar me. Cho. 



6o 



Bahama Songs and Stories, 



XL. 



WE'LL GIT HOME BY AND BY. 



^ 



t^=^ 



^ 



-^ 



-N- 



^ 



t 



-9-r 



Oh! we '11 break this bread to-geth-e', Oh ! we '11 break this bread to 



i 



5=* 



:* 



15: 



W 



-^- 



^ 



geth - e', Lawd, On the oth - e' 

Chorus. 

=1^ 



side 



of Jer - din. We '11 



^^=^ 



I^-r 



-^ 



t: 



git home by 



an 



by. Don' git wea - ry; Don' git 



fe: 



I 



f 



^ 



-^ 



-si- 



wea - ry, Don' git wea - ry, We '11 git home by an' by. 



Oh ! we '11 break this bread togethe', 

Oh ! we '11 break this bread togethe', Lawd, 

On the othe' side of Jerdin. 

We '11 git home by an' by. Cho. 

Oh ! we '11 shout an' talk togethe'. 

Oh ! we '11 shout an' talk togethe', Lawd, 

On the othe' side of Jerdin. 

We '11 git home by an' by. Cho. 

Oh ! we '11 sing an' shout togethe'. 

Oh ! we '11 sing an' shout togethe', Lawd, 

On the othe' side of Jerdin. 

We '11 git home by an' by. Cho. 



STORIES. 



I. 

B' RABBY IN DE CORN-FIELD.i 

Once it vwas a time, a very good time, 

De monkey chewed tobacco, an' 'e spit white lime.^ 

So dis day, it vwas a man ; had a big fiel' ; peas, corn, and potato', 
De man did n't used to go in de fiel'. 'E send his boy. So dis day 
B' Rabby come vw'ere de boy vwas. 'E say, " Boy, you' pa say, *gi' 
me some peas, corn, and potato'.' " 'E let 'im eat as much as 'e vwant. 
De nex' day B' Rabby come back again. 'E say, " Boy, you' pa say, 
*gi' me some peas, corn, an' potatoes.' " So now vw'en de boy vwent 
home de boy say, " Pa, you tell B' Rabby to say, I say must give 'im 
peas, corn, an' potatoes } " De man say, " No, I aint see B' Rabby." 
'E say, ** De nex' time B' Rabby come dere you mus' tie B' Rabby 
an' let 'im eat as much peas, corn, an' potatoes as 'e like." 'E 
say, '' You mus'n' let 'im go." De nex' day B' Rabby come. 'E 
say, "Boy, you' pa say, 'gi' me some peas, corn, an' potatoes.'" 
B' Boy say, " Le' me tie you up first." B' Rabby say, "All right, but 
vw'en I done eatin' you mus' let me go." B' Boy say, " All right," 
too. Now vw'en B' Rabby vwas done eatin', B' Rabby say, *' Boy, 
le' me go now!" B' Boy say, "No!" B' Rabby say, " Min', you 
better le' me go ! " B' Boy say, " No ! " B' Boy vwent to call his 
pa. B' Boy say, " Come, pa, got 'im to-day ! " De man vwent over 
in de fiel'. Dey ketch B' Rabby ; bring 'im up ; put 'im in de hiron 
cage. 

Now dey had on six big pots o' hot vwater. B' Tiger vwas 
comin' past. 'E say, " Vw'ats de matter, B' Rabby V 'E say, 
" Dey got me in here to marry de Queen's daughter, an' I don' vwan' 
to marry 'er." Now 'e say, " D' see dem six pots dere .? Dey got 
dem full,/////o' cow-'eads for my weddin'." B' Tiger say, "Put me 

^ I must again call attention to the fact that there is not an invariable dialect 
among the Bahama negroes, the same word often being pronounced differently in 
succeeding phrases or sentences. My effort, therefore, has been to report these 
tales as phonetically as is possible with the English alphabet as ordinarily used. 

2 The old stories are almost always introduced by this doggerel verse, and very 
often some expression, as, " 'T wa'n't my time ; 't wa'n't you' time ; was old folks 
time," is added. 



^^ 



64 Bahama Songs and Stories, 

in, I vwan' to marry de Queen's daughter." B' Rabby say, "Take 
me up ! " B' Rabby jump up. 'E fasten up B' Tiger. Now B' 
Rabby gone ! 'E git in one hollow, hollow pison-wood tree.^ 

De boy come out an' say, " Pa, dey big one here ! " De man say, 
" Don't care if 'e big one or little one, I goin' to seal' 'im." De man 
come out. 'E git de hot vwater. 'E take de big pot full, boiliti up ; 
'e swash on B' Tiger. B' Tiger 'e holler, ^^'T aifH me ! 't ai?^ me ! " 
De man say, '' Don't care 'f 't ain' you, or vw'at, I goin' seal' you." 
'E seal' B' Tiger. B' Tiger 'e give one jump ; 'e knock de cage all 
to pieces. B' Tiger gone ! 

'E come to dis same pison-wood tree B' Rabby vwas in. 'E sit 
down right on de stump o' de tree vw'at B' Rabby was in. B' Rabby 
had one sharp, sharp stick, an' 'e shove right into B' Tiger. B' Ti- 
ger say, ^' My goody f' 'e say, *' Hants here !" B' Rabby take de 
stick ; 'e shove it out ; 'e stick B' Tiger. B' Tiger say, " No dis 
aint hants ; B' Rabby here." Den B' Tiger look down in de hole 
an' 'e see B' Rabby settin' dere. B' Tiger say, " Ha-an ! B' Rabby ! 
Never min', you cause me to get scalded ; " 'e say, ** N'er min' ! I 
goin' ketch you ! " B' Rabby say, "Move, boy ! ' Le' me git out! 
Doan' min' me ! " B' Kohhy gone / 

B' Rabby see one dead goat in de road. De goat dead ; stink and 
be rotten. All de goat back vwas rottin' avay. B' Rabby ^^;2^; 'e 
git inside de dead goat. 

B' Tiger vwas comin' fas' ! Vw'en B' Rabby look, 'e see B' Tiger 
comin'. B' Rabby vwas doin', " Hukn / huhn .^" vwas doin' so in de 
goat, " Huhn ! huhn ! " B' Tiger say, " Vw'ats de matter, B' Goat } " 
'E say, " B' Rabby vwen' past here just now ; poin' he finger at me 
an' rottin' avay all my back." B' 'Rahhy gone out de dead goat. 

B' Rabby vwas fishin'. 'E see B' Tiger. B' Rabby had he finger 
bent. B' Rabby say, "Min, I goin' poin' ! " B' Tiger say, ''Do W 
Rabby, doan' poin' ! ' Dat 's vw'at B' Tiger say. B' Rabby did n' 

poin'. 

E bo ban, my story 's en', 

If you doan' believe my story 's true, 

Hax my captain an, my crew, 

Vw'en I die bury me in a pot o' candle grease.^ 

1 Cf. Harris, Nights with Uncle Remus j My fhs, etc., Boston, 1883, pp. 187 and 
194; XXIII. and XXIX., Harris, £/i^^/<^ Remus, etc.; His Songs and His Sayings, 
etc., New York, 1881, pp. 100 and 123. 

2 The first three lines of this doggerel verse form the customary ending of a 
story, while the last line may be added to suit the individual fancy of the narrator. 
E bo ban is probably African. 



A Group of Children 



Celebratio7i of Ejmnicipation — the Procession 



B' Rabby, B' Spider^ an B' Bouku 65 

II. 

B' HELEPHANT AND B' VW'ALE.i 

Once it vwas a time, etc. 

Now dis day B' Rabby vwas walkin' 'long de shore. 'E see B' 
Vw'ale. 'E say, '' B' Vw'ale ! " B' Vw'ale say, '* Hey ! " B' Rabby 
say, *' B' Vw'ale, I bet I could pull you on de shore ! " B' Vw'ale 
say, " You cahnt ! " B' Rabby say, "■ I bet you t'ree t'ousan' dollar ! " 
B' Vw'ale say, " Hall right ! " 'E gone. 

'E meet B' Helephant. 'E say, "B' Helephant," 'e say, "I bet 
you I could pull you in de sea ! " B' Helephant say, '' Me ! " 'E 
say, ** Dey aint ary man in de worl' can pull me in de sea ! " B' Rabby 
say, '' I '11 try it to-morrow at twelve o'clock." 

'E gone an' get a heap o' rope. 'E say, "Now to-day we'll try 
it." 'E tie one rope aroun' B' Vw' ale's neck, and den 'e tie one 
aroun' B' Helephant's neck. 'E say, "Vw'en you hear me say, 
^ Set taut,' you mus' set taut." 'E say, " Ptill avay !'' Vw'en B' 
Vw'ale pull, 'e pull B' Helephant in de surf o' de sea. 'E say, "You 
t'ink dis little B' Rabby doin' all o' dat ! " Wen B' Helephant pull 
taut, 'e pull B' Vw'ale in de surf o' de sea. B' Vw'ale ketch under- 
neath one shelf o' de rock, and B' Helephant ketch to one big tree. 
Den de two on 'em pull so heavy de rope broke. 

B' Vw'ale went in de ocean and B' Helephant vwent vay over in 
de pine-yard. Das v'y you see B' Vw'ale in de ocean to-day, and das 
vy you see B' Helephant over in de pine bushes to-day. 

'E bo ban, n?y story 's en', etc. 



III. 

B' RABBY, B' SPIDER, AN' B' BOUKI.2 

Once it vwas a time, etc. 

B' Rabby, B' Spider, and B' Bouki wen' in de fiel'. As evening 
vwas comin' dey was comin' home in de boat. An' dey had one 

1 Cf. XXVI., Harris, Uncle Remus^ I. r., p. iii. 

2 Le boticj in Louisiana negro-lore, botcki; Fortier, Trans, and Proc. of the 
Mod. Lang. As. of Am. vol. iii. Baltimore, 1888, pp. 100-168. The name 
B' Bouki has been adopted by the Bahama negroes as a proper name, without any 
knowledge of its original meaning. 



66 Bahama Songs and Stories, 

bunch o' bananas to share, and dey did n' know how to share it. An' 
B' Spider did say to B' Rabby, " T'row de bunch o' bananas over- 
boar' an' den who could dive de mostest could have de mostest." 

Den dey pull off de'r close. B' Rabby had de furst dive. Vw'en 
'e vent down to bottom 'e bring up four bananas. Vw'en B' Bouki 
vwent down 'e bring up two. B' Spider vw'en 'e pitch overboar' 'e 
float. 

B' Rabby pitch overboar' again an* 'e bring up six. B' Bouki 
pitch overboar' again an' 'e bring up four. B' Spider pitch overboar' 
again ; 'o. float. *E say, " You no tie de grapple to me an' le' me go 
down an' get hall." An' 'e vwent down ; 'e ketch hall on 'em ; an' 'e 
could n' come hup no more. 

An' B' Rabby take his knife an' cut avay de rope. An' den dey 

vwent home. An' B' Spider ; vw'en dey hax 'em, " Whey 

B' Spider .? " An' B' Rabby say, '' B' Spider 'e did have such a big 

eye ; 'e did vwant all de bananas an' 'e could n' dive." 'E say, '' B' 

Spider did say, * You no tie dis grapple to me an' le' me get hall.' " 

An' de Spider's mudder say, " 'F you don' go fetch 'im I put you in 

prison." An' dey say dey aint gwine. An' de vwoman did carry 

'em to prison. An' B' Rabby did put de vwoman in jail. An' de 

judge did say, 'e couldn' put B' Rabby in prison fur dat, cause 't was 

B' Spider's fault. 

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. 



IV. 
B' MAN, B' RAT, AN' B' TIGER-CAT. 

Once it vwas a time, etc. 

So now dis day ; ebry time de rat use' to go in de man' field eatin' 
de man' peas, potatoes, an' his corn. So now dis day de man ketch 
de rat ; 'e had de rat in de cage to kill 'im. De rat say, *'/?<?, B' 
Man, spare my life, I'll never come back any more ! " De man say, 
" Hall right ! " 'E let de rat go. B' Rat vwent vay hover in de 
vwood ; 'e never come back any more. 

Dis day de man vwent shootin' pigeons. 'E vwent vay over in de 
vwoods ; 'e shoot a big bunch o' pigeons. Now 'e gone^ 'e see t'ree 
young tiger-cats. De man vw'en' 'e gone 'e take all t'ree de tiger- 
cats. Soon as 'e make one step de hold tiger-cat, 'e after 'im an' 
growl. De tiger-cat say, " 'T aint no good to put down my young 
ones, so you might as well keep 'em." B' Tiger-cat say, "B' Man, le' 
me tell you vw'at to do." 



B' Bouki an B' Rabby. 67 

B' Tiger-cat vwas hup in one tree ready to pitch on de man. B' 
Tiger-cat say, " You let de dog heat de pigeons ; you heat de dog, 
an' let me heat you." De man stan' up an' 'e study. B' Tiger-cat 
say, "Talk fas', B' Man; talk fas' !" 'e say, "Let de dog heat de 
pigeons ; you heat de dog, an' le' me heat you." Den dat same 
rat w'at de man let go jump out de road. 'E say, " Yes, B' Man, do 
dat ; give de pigeons to de dog ; you heat de dog, and let B' Tiger- 
cat heat you, an' let me heat B' Tiger-cat." 

B' Tiger-cat stan' up ; 'e study. B' Man say, " Talk fas', B' Tiger- 
cat, talk fas' ! " B' Man vwent towards his gun. B' Tiger-cat jus' 
vwas studerin' on vw'at B' Man say. Den de man pick up his gun. 
Vw'en 'e fire 'e shoot B' Tiger-cat dead. Den B' Rat jump up an' 
say, " One good turn deserve another ! One good turn deserve 
another ! One good turn deserve another ! " ^ 

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. 



V. 
B' BOUKI AN' B' RABBY. 

Once it vwas a time, etc. 

It vwas B' Rabby ; 'e use' to go to de Queen's pasture ebry night 
an' take de bigges' sheep from de flock. So dis night vw'en 'e wen', 
de Queen's servant did put a lion at de head o' all de hudder sheeps. 
B' Rabby vwas takin' dat to be a sheep, an' 'e carried 'im a little 
vays in de road an' 'e say, " Look 'ere, dis t'ing don' vwalk like 
sheep, dis t'ing vwalk like lion ! " An' 'e call out for B' Bouki. 'E 
say, " B' Bouki, 'ere, take dis sheep. I got to go up 'ere in de wood 
for de hudder one I got tied in de fence ! " An' vw'en B' Bouki get 
a little vays, 'e sing out, 'e say, "Dis t'ing don' vwalk like sheep ! " 
'E say, " Dis t'ing vwalk like lion ! " Den 'e hollered out to his 
vwife an' children, tell dem all to get up in de roof o' de house.^ 'E 
holler out, say, " De lion comin' to tear you to pieces ! " An' vw'en 
de lion get to de house, 'e walk in tr'u' de door an' 'e see all on 'em 
up in de roof an' 'e look up at 'em. 

An' de smalles' chil' say, " Fadder an' mudder, I know you love 
me, but I cahnt hold out no longer ! " An' de fadder say, " See 
lion 'ere ! " An' vw'en de chil' drop de lion tear her to pieces. De 

1 Cf. XVIII., Chatelain, Folk-Tales of Angola^ Boston, 1894, p. 157. 

2 Cf. " De Reason Br'er Rabbit wears a Short Tail," Christensen, Afro- Amer- 
ican Folk-Lore^ Boston, 1892, p. 26. 



68 Bahama Songs and Stories. 

hudder one say, " Fadder an' mudder, I know }^ou love me, but my 
harms is tired ! " An' his fadder say, " See lion dere ! " An' vw'en 
'e drop de lion tear 'im to pieces. Dis de bigges' one now ; 'e say, 
" Fadder an' mudder, I know you love me an' I love you, but I cahnt 
hold out no longer! " An' de fadder say, " See lion dere !" An' 
vw'en 'e drop de lion tear 'im to pieces. His vwife say, '' I know 
you love me," an' she say, " I love you, too ! " De husband was so 
pitiful 'e could n' talk, an' 'e jus' p'int his finger down to de lion an' 
his vwife drop. An' after 'e see all on 'em vwas gone 'e vwent out 
t'r'u' de roof o' de house an' 'e stay dere until de mornin', an dat's 
how 'e vwas save. B' Lion could n' jump an' 'e vwen' avay. 

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. 



VI. 

B' BARACOUTP AN' B' MAN.2 

Once it vwas a time, etc. 

Once it v\vas a man ; 'e had a fiel' 'pon a differ'n' part o' de shore. 
Dis day 'e did vwan' to go to his fiel' ; 'e met a shark. 'E said to 
de shark, " Please carry me 'cross to my fiel' ! " B' Shark say, " All 
right ! " an' 'e carried him 'cross. Vw'en 'e got 'cross 'e give B' 
Shark a good cut. B' Shark say, " All right ! " 

'E come out again from his fiel' ; 'e meet B' Shark again. 'E 
say, "B' Shark, //^^j-^ carry me 'cross once more ! " B' Shark say, 
"All right!" An' B' Shark carried him 'cross again. An' 'e give 
B' Shark a heavy cut again. B' Shark say, " All right ! " 

De nex' day de man did vwan' go 'cross again. 'E say, "B' 
^\i2ix\ please carry me 'cross to dat shore ; " 'e say, '^ I '11 give you a 
fortune ! " B' Shark carry 'im again, an' 'e give B' Shark such a cut, 
till B' Shark had to lay awake till 'e come out again. 

Sun vwas nearly down vw'en de man come out. 'E say, " B' Shark, 
please carry me 'croi^s again ; " 'e say, '' I '11 pay you vw'en I get 
'cross." B' Shark say, **Get on my back." De firs' fish B' Shark 
meet vwas a corb.^ B' Shark say, " B' Corb, you do man good an' 
man do you harm;" 'e say, "Vw'at you mus' do tor him.'*" B' 

^ The baracouti is an eel-like fish, with numerous, strong, sharp teeth, and is 
very savage when attacked. 

2 Variants : XIX., Harris, /. c, p. 88 ; XXL, Jones, Negro Myths from the 
Georgia Coast ^ Boston, i888, p. 46. 

3 Flat-headed shark, particularly dreaded as a man-eater. 



E" Loggerhead and B' Conch, 69 

Corb say, " Cut 'im in two ! " Nex' vwas a Porpy.^ 'E say, " B' 
Porpy, you do man good an' man do you harm, vw'at you mus' do 
tor 'im ? " B' Porpy say, ** Leave it to God ! ' 'De nex' vwas a bara- 
couti. 'E say, ** B' Baracouti, you do man good an' man do you harm, 
vw'at you mus' do tor 'im ? " B' Baracouti say, '' Cut 'im to hell ! " 

B' Shark see B' Rabby on de rocks. 'E say, "B' Rabby, you do 
man good an' man do you harm, vw'at you mus' do tor 'im ? " B' 
Rabby say, "Come in little further ; I ain' hear you ! " (B' Rabby 
vwan' to save de man.) 'E come in. 'E say, " B' Rabby, you do 
man good an' man do you harm, vw'at you mus' do tor 'im } " B' 
Rabby say, " Come in little bit further ; still I ain' hear you ! " B' 
Shark come in a little bit further. 'E say, " I cahn' come no further 
else I get 'shore ! " B' Shark say, '* You do man good an' man do 
you harm, vw'at you mus' do tor 'im } " B' Rabby say, "■ V'y, let 
'im jump 'shore ! " Before de shark could turn roun' to go with 
'im de man jump 'shore an' B' Shark commence to cry. 

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. 



VII. 

B' LOGGERHEAD AND B' CONCH.2 

Once it vwas a time, etc. 

Dey vwanted de King's daughter. King told de two to have a 
race, de one dat beat de race to have his daughter. Dey hask him, 
"Vw'at sort o' race dey mus' have." 'E said 'e wanted to see who 
could walk de fastes' out o' two. Dat vwas de loggerhead and de 
conch. De conch knowed dat de loggerhead could beat 'im walkin', 
so de conch vwent an' hired bother conchs an' put 'em to de 
mark's stake. Den after dat 'e vwent down to de river whe' de log- 
gerhead vwas an' told 'im 'e 's all ready for de race. 

'Im an' de loggerhead started off together. De first mark de 
loggerhead get to 'e meet a conch dere, takin' it to be de one dat 
'e start off to race with, but standin' talkin'. De one dat went to 
race, ' e went ahead o' de loggerhead. Den de loggerhead started 

1 Porpoise. 

2 One of the variants of the famous hare and tortoise story of ^sop. Cf. 
" The Crab outruns the Fox," Gerber, Great Russian Animal Tales, Pub. Mod. 
Lang. As. of Am., Baltimore, 1891, p. dZ ; " Cooter an' Deer," Christensen, /. c, 
p. 5 ; XVIII., Harris, Uncle Remus, I. c, p. 80; Ibid, pp. 5-8, var. of the same tale 
given by Smith of the Amazonian Indians ; Chamberlain, " Deer and Mud-turtle " 
of the Kootenay ; " Die Hase und Die Igel " of Grimm. 



70 Bahama Songs and Stories, 

from de place where de conch vwas, expecting it vwas de same 
conch. Vw'en 'e git to de nex' pole 'e meet a conch again, still 
thinkin' it vwas de same conch. Stand dere dey small-talk ; whilst 
talkin' give de conch vw'at hired de other conchs a chance to chat 
with 'im, den de conch had chance to go 'is vway. Vw'en de log- 
gerhead git to King's palace, 'e met de conch 'head of 'im. De 
conch had beaten de race an' 'e got de King's daughter. Den after 
dat de loggerhead say 'e vwould take de sea for 'is dwellin' place. 

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. 



VIII. 
B' CRANE-CROW, B' PARROT, AN' B' SNAKE. 

Once it vwas a time, etc. 

It vwas a heagle, layin' in a tree. Hafter she had young ones dis 
snake use' to plague de tree. So afterwards B' Heagle lef B' Crane- 
crow an' B' Parrot to watch dese young ones, vw'en B' Snake come 
to call 'er. So vw'en de snake come, dey call dis heagle. Dey say, 
" Ma hoo heagle ! De snake comin' ! " So she come. Therefore 
she kill de snake. She said, " Hafter he het my young ones ; " she 
say, " Therefore I '11 go nord, I '11 live dere all my life on de nordern 
part of Baltimore.^ I no more to say. De snake had het my young 
ones." Dat makes, so you see, heagle live hover dere to-day ; dey 

won' come dis side. 

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. 



IX. 
B' CRICKET AND B' HELEPHANT. 

Once it vwas a time, etc. 

So it vwas palm-ile tree whe' dey use' to go to feed. So hevery 
time B' Helephant use' to go dere 'e use' to meet B' Cricket. 'E say, 
"B' Cricket, I bet I can mash you up some o'dese days." So B' 
Cricket say, " B' Helephant, you cahn' mash me up, fur it don' stan' 
fur de bigness o' man ; little man could make big man run." B' Hel- 
ephant say, " Go vay, B' Cricket ! " 

1 To the people of Green Turtle Cay, Baltimore, from whence come the schoon- 
ers in the pineapple trade, is one of the great places beyond the sea of which the 
children, especially, have peculiarly vague ideas. 



E* Crane-Crow ati B' Snake. 71 

So dis day, vw'en B' Helephant come to de tree B' Cricket vwas 
dere. B' Helephant did n' see 'im. 'E vwen' in B' Helephan' ear- 
'ole an' 'e git to singin', an' B' Helephant 'e did put off a runnin'. 
Everywhe's 'e put 'is foot it vwas river. So 'e meet B' Lion. 'E 
say, *'B' Lion, man mo' 'n me to-day ;" 'e say, " I 'bout de bigges' 
beast in de fores' an* you 'bout de stronges' ; an' still, if you vwas to 
hear vw'at I hear to-day, make you run." 

"Let 'im come, I 'm a man fur anythin'," dat 's de word B' Lion 
say. B' Cricket jump out B' Helephan' ear-'ole an' gone in B' Lion 
ear-'ole, an' vw'en B' Cricket sing out in B' Lion ear-'ole, 'im an' B' 
Helephan' start together. B' Helephan' see B' Lion runnin', taught 
de soun' o' de cricket vwas still in 'is ear-'ole. Some iron-wood tree 
dere vwas six times big as dis house. B' Lion tear 'em right square 
up by de root. 

Vw'en dey get dere dey meet B' Jack standin' on de hill. Jack 

say, "Vw'at you no runnin' 'ere 'bout.-^" Dey say, " B' Jack, man 

'ere to-day mo' 'n you an' me an' you two together ! " B' Jack say, 

"I 'm de man to heat you an' de man too !" So B' Cricket jump 

out de lion ear-'ole an' vwen' in B' Jack own to tell 'im de bargemen' 

B' Helephan' an' 'im had under de palm-ile tree. So B' Helephan' 

'e quiver so much 'e drop down dead. B' Jack say, " My deah man, 

dat vwas de harge vw'at you an' B' Cricket had." B' Cricket say, " I 

tell you 'bout a little man every day ; " so a puff o' win' come an' end 

dis story. 

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. 



X. 

B' CRANE-CROW AN' B' MAN.i 

Once it vwas a time, etc. 

Now dis day de Queen did vwant a man to see if 'e could n' ketch 
dis Queen Crane-Crow. De man gone whey all de Crane-Crows use' 
to come. Now de man lay down an' make believe 'e vwas dead. 
Now hall de Crane-Crows come. All on 'em vwas singin'. Crane- 
Crows vwas say'n, " Hunte' man dead to-day ; hunte' man dead to- 
day." Dis Queen Crane-Crow say, " Save 'is eye-ball fur me ! " 
Dey did n' vwan' believe 'e vwas dead. 'E sen' one o' de hudder 
Crane-Crows to pick 'im. 

Dis little Crane-Crow gone^ 'e pick de man. B' Queen Crane-Crow 

1 Cf. XIX., Harris, Uncle Remus; His Sotigs, etc., /. c, p. 87 ; Harris, Nights 
with Uncle Remus ^ I. c, pp. 80 and 296. 



72 Bahama Songs and Stories, 

say, " Pick 'im again ! " 'E pick 'im ; de man ain' move. Now hall 
on 'em vwas comin' ; begin to pick de man. Vw'en dis Queen Crane- 
Crow come to pick hout de man heye, de man hold de Queen Crane- 
Crow. De Queen Crane-Crow holler, " 'T ain' me ! 'T ain' me ! 'T ain' 
me ! " De man say, " No good, I got you now, you got to go." 'E 
put 'im inside 'e bag ; 'e carry 'im to de Queen. De Queen give 'im 
a fortune an' de man vwas rich fur 'is lifetime. (Dat 's hall.) 

E bo ban, dat story 's en', etc. 



XI. 

DE BIG WORRUM.i 

Once it vwas a time, etc. 

So dis day it vwas a man ; he had two sons ; dey did n' have no 
fire. Hall dey had to heat vwas raw potatoes. Now de man sen' 
dis boy to look for fire. De boy vwalk ; he vwalk ; he vwalk till 
vw'en 'e look 'e see one smoke. Vw'en 'e gone 'e git to dat fire. 
Vw'en 'e get dere, de worrum vwas full o' fire. De boy say, 
*' Dimme some fan ! " (Give me some fire). De worrum say, "'T ain', 
't ain' none ; jes' do fur me." De worrum say, " Come in little closer." 
Good ! Soon as de boy vwen' a little closer, vw'en 'e vwent to reach 
de fire de worrum swallow 'im down. Den de boy vwen' down, right 
down, down inside de worrum till 'e stop. De boy met whole lot o' 
people vwat de worrum did swallow. 

So now de man tell de hudder son, *' I wonder whey my son 
gone } " De hudder son say, *' Pa, I goin' look fur him." 'E vwalk, 
'e valk, 'e vwalk till 'e come to this big worrum, vw'at had de fire 
in his mouth. So now de boy vwent to de worrum. De boy say, 
"Dimme some fan!" De worrum say, *' Keelie o' fire" (Come 
and get fire). De boy say, '^ Do i en e? dimme some fan.-*" De 
worrum say, " Come, a little closer." De worrum say, *' Time for 
Joe come " (Time to go home). De worrum say, " Keelie o' fire." 
Vw'en de boy vwen' to get de fire so, de worrum swallow him down. 
De boy vwen' ; 'e vwen' down ; 'e vwen' down, till 'e met 'e brudder. 

^ The descendant of an African tale, variants of which are given by Endemann, 
"Mittheil. iiber die Sotho-Neger," Zeitschrift f, Ethnologie, VI. Jahrg. Heft i, 
1874, pp. 16-66; and by Theal, Kaffir Folk-Lore^ London, 1886, in " The Story of 
the Caninbal Mother," p. 142, "The Story of the Glutton," p. 175, and " The 
Great Chief of the Animals," p. 177. 

^ Probably African survivals. 



B' Rabby an B' Tar-Baby, 73 

Now de boy fadder say, ''My two sons gone an' I might as vwell 
gone too." De man take 'e Ian' (lance) ; it fairly glisten, it so sharp. 
Vw'en 'e get dere whey de worrum vwas wid de fire in he mouth, de 
man say, "Dimme some fan .-* " De worrum say, "You too do fur 
me ! " (You're too much for me). De worrum say, " Keelie o' fire." 
Vwen de man vwen' to get de fire, so^ de worrum vwen' to swallow 
'im. De man take he' Ian' ; as 'e vwas goin' down 'e cut de worrum ; 
'e cut de worrum till 'e cut de worrum right open an' all de people 
come, an' dat vwas a big city right dere. 

E bo ban, dis story 's en', etc. 



XII. 
B' RABBY AN' B' TAR-BABY.i 

Once it vwas a time, etc. 

So dis day B' Rabby, B' Bouki, B' Tiger, B' Lizard, B' Helephant, 
B' Goat, B' Sheep, B' Rat, B' Cricket, all o' de creatures, all kind; — 
so now dey say, " B' Rabby, you goin' help dig vwell .? " B' Rabby 
say, "No!" Dey say, "Vw'en you vwan' vwater, how you goin' 
manage.?" 'E say, "Get it an' drink it." Dey say, "B' Rabby, you 
goin' help cut fiel' .? " B' Rabby say, "No!" Dey say, "Vw'en 
you 'r' hungry, how you goin' manage .-*" "Get it an' eat it." So 
all on 'em gone to work. Dey vwen' ; dey dig vwell first. Nex' 
dey cut fiel'. 

Now dis day B' Rabby come. Dey leave B' Lizard home to min* 
de vwell. So now B' Rabby say, " B' Lizard, you vwant to see who 
can make de mostest noise in de trash } " B' Lizard say, " Yes ! " 
B' Rabby say, " You go in dat big heap o' trash dere an' I go in dat 
over dere (B' Rabby did vwant to get his vwater now !) B' Lizard 
gone in de trash ; 'e kick up. Vw'ile 'e vwas makin' noise in de 
trash, B' Rabby dip 'e bucket full o' vwater. '^ gone ! 

So now vw'en B' Helephant come, an' hall de bother animals come 
out de fiel', B' Helephant say, " B' Lizard, you goin' let B' Rabby 
come here to-day an' take dat vwater ? " B' Lizard say, " I could n't 

1 Cf. Theal, /. ^., pp. 179-185 ; IV., Jones, /. c, p. 7 ; II. and IV., Harris, Uncle 
Remus J His Songs, etc., /. c, pp. 23 and 29 ; I., Fortier, Trans. Mod. Lang. As. 
of Am. vol. iii. Baltimore, 1888, pp. 102 and 138; Christensen, /. c, p. 62 ; Dorsey, 
your. Am. Folk-Lore, 1893? P- 48; Chatelain, /. c, pp. 153 and 183 ; Crane, The 
Pop. Set. Mo. vol. xviii. p. 824; XII., Fortier, Louisiana Folk-Tales^ Boston and 
New York, 1895, p. 35. 



74 Bahama Songs and Stories, 

help it ! " 'E say, " 'E tell me to go in de trash to see who could 
make de mostest noise." 

Now de nex' day dey leave B' Bouki home to min' de vwell. Now 
B' Rabby come. 'E say, " B' Bouki, you vwan' to see who can run 
de fastes' ? " B' Bouki say, ''Yes." 'E say, ** You go dat side, 
an' le' me go dis side." Good ! B' Bouki break off; 'e gone a run- 
nin'. Soon as B' Bouki git out o' sight B' Rabby dip 'e bucket ; 'e 
gone. 

So now vw'en B' Helephan' an' 'im come dey say, " B' Bouki, you 
let B' Rabby come 'ere again to-day and take our vwater .'* " 'E say, 
"'E tell me who could run de fastes', an' soon 's I git a little vays 'e 
take de vwater an' gone. So B' Helephan' say, " I know how to 
ketch him ! " 

Dqy gone ; hall on 'em in de pine yard. Dey make one big tar- 
baby. Dey stick 'im up to de vwell. B' Rabby come. 'E say, 
" Hun ! dey leave my dear home to min' de vwell to-day." B' Rabby 
say, "Come, my dear, le' me kiss you ! " Soon as 'e kiss 'er 'e lip 
stick fas'. B' Rabby say, " Min' you better le' go ; " 'e say, " You 
see dis biggy, biggy han' here ; " 'e say, " 'f I slap you wid dat I kill 
you." Now vw'en B' Rabby fire, so, 'e ban' stick. B' Rabby say, 
" Min' you better le' go me ; " 'e say, *' You see dis biggy, biggy 
ban' here ; 'f I slap you wid dat I kill you." Soon as B' Rabby slap 
wid de hudder ban', so, 'e stick. B' Rabby say, *' You see dis biggy, 
biggy foot here : my pa say, 'f I kick anybody wid my biggy, biggy 
foot I kill 'em." Soon as 'e fire his foot, so, it stick. B' Rabby 
say, ''Min' you better le' go me." Good! soon as 'e fire his foot, 
so, it stick. Now B' Rabby jus' vwas hangin' ; hangin' on de Tar- 
baby. 

B' Bouki come runnin' out firs'. 'E say, " Ha ! vwe got 'im to- 
day ! vwe got 'im to-day ! " 'E gone back to de fiel' ; 'e tell B' Hele- 
phan' ; 'e say, " Ha ! B' Helephan', vwe got 'im to-day ! " Vw'en all 
on 'em gone out now dey ketch B' Rabby. Now dey did vwan' to 
kill B' Rabby ; dey did n' know whey to t'row 'im. B' Rabby say, 
" 'f you t'row me in de sea " (you know 'f dey had t'row B'Rabby in 
de sea, dey 'd a kill 'im), — B' Rabby say, " 'f you t'row me in de sea 
you won' hurt me a bit." B' Rabby say, " 'f you t'row me in de fine 
grass, you kill me an' all my family." Dey take B' Rabby. Dey 
t'row 'im in de fine grass. B' 'R.dibhy jzimp up ; 'e put off a runnin'. 
So now B' Rabby say, " Hey ! ketch me 'f you could." All on 'em 
gone now. 

Now dis day dey vwas all sittin' down heatin'. Dey had one big 
house ; de house vwas full o' hall kin' o' hanimals. B' Rabby ^^;2^; 
'e git hup on top de house ; 'e make one big hole in de roof o' de 
house. B' Rabby sing hout, " Now, John Fire, go hout ! " B' Rabby 



B' Big-Head, B' Big-Gut, an B' Tin-Leg, 75 

let go a barrel o' mud ; let it run right down inside de house. 
Vw'en 'e let go de barrel o' mud, so^ every one on 'em take to de 
bush, right vwil' ; gone right hover in de bush. B' Rabby make all 
on 'em vwent vwil', till dis day you see hall de hanimals vwil'. 

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. 



XIII. 
B' BIG-HEAD, B' BIG-GUT, AN' B' TIN-LEG. 

Once it vwas a time, etc. 

Dis day it vwas B' Big-head, B' Big-gut, an' B' Tin-leg. Dey ain't 
had no pa. Dey ma vwas dead. Dey only had four doughboys. 
So now B' Big-head say, *'Now, brothers, let 's go look for water." 
Now dey share o' doughboys ; dey all three, each had little can. 
Dey each put doughboys in de can, an' dey vwent to look for water 
now. Dey walk 'til dey come to one coco'nut tree ; now B' Big-gut 
say, " You go, B' Big-head ! " B' Big-head say, " I can't go ;" 'e say, 
" If I go, soon as I look down, my head so big I fall down." Den 
'e say to B' Big-gut, 'e go. B' Big-gut say, " My gut so big if I go 
I fall down." Now B' Tin-leg say, " I '11 go ! " Now all on 'em 
had de doughboys down on de ground. Now B* Tin-leg vwas goin', 
a clim'in' up de tree. Vw'en B' Tin-leg look down an' see B' Big- 
gut brushin' de flies off his doughboy, B' Tin-leg t'ought B' Big-gut 
vwas eatin' it. 'E jes' kill himself on de coco'nut tree ; kickin' an' 
flingin', jes' so. B' Big-gut laugh so much till 'e bust his gut. 

Den it only leave B' Big-head one now. Now B' Big-head vwen' 
to look for water. B' Big-head come to one well. 'E vwas drinkin' 
water. B' Heagle come dere, an' de Heagle did want water an' B' 
Big-head would n't let him get none. Den him an' de Heagle had 
a fight. De Heagle kick him. When de Heagle went an' kick him 
B' Big-head ketch his foot. After B' Big-head ketch his foot, den 'e 
could n' hold it, an' de Heagle shake 'im all to pieces. 

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. 



7^ Bahama Songs and Stories, 

XIV. 

B' RABBY HAD A MOTHER.i 

Once it vwas a time, etc. 

B' Rabby had a mother; father vwas dead; de times vwas very 
hard ; did n' know vw'at to do for a livin'. B' Rabby said to 'is 
mother, " You lay down on de bed an' preten' dat you are dead." So 
B' Rabby cried out, " Poor B' Rabby got no mother ! " Hax 'im, 
"Where was his mother.?" 'E said, ''She is dead" (doing dat to 
get food). 'E said, '' Don't hax me nothin', but go in de room an' 
see for yourself." Vw'en B' Rabbies started to go in de room to see 
de dead mother, 'e stood behind de door with a club in his han's, an' 
after de room got full 'e jumped inside vwith 'is club an' lock de 
door. 'E began to knock down B' Rabbies. Some 'e kill, some 'e 
cripple, an' de balance get clear. Him an' his mother had a plenty 
of meat to heat. 

Hafter dat, by him servin' such a dirty trick dey despised him, 
would not have nothing no more to do with him, an' B' Rabby said, 
" I did n' ker about it; had meat to heat an' vwater to drink." 

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. 



XV. 

B' MAN, B' WOMAN, AN' B' MONKEYS. 
Once it vwas a time, etc. 

Now dis day it vwas a poor man ; 'e did n' have no money. Now 
'e did vwan' fix a plan to get some money. De vwoman tell de man 
to make believe like 'e vwas dead. She dress de man an' lay 'im 
out in de house. De vwoman, vw'en she call all dese monkeys, tell 
'em to come help 'er to sing ; say her husband is dead. 

Now whole lot o' monkeys come, one-tail monkey, two-tail, t'ree, 
four, five, six, seven, eight, an' nine-tail monkey. Now dis big nine- 
tail monkey, 'e vwould n' come in; 'e jus' stan' at de door. 

Now de vwoman pitch de song : 

^ This tale and the following are founded upon the same idea — that of certain 
animals, in order to obtain food, enticing other animals to their destruction. Sim- 
ilar stories are found in the folk-lore of our Southern negroes, and indeed in that 
of most races. Cf. -^sop; Theal, /. r., p. 115 ; XXIII., Chatelain, /. ^., p. 189 



B' Rabby^ B' Bouki, an B' Cow, 



77 



J =120. 



=fe — ^=ai— FF- 



t=^: 



li— 



My hus - ban 's dead 



an 



gone to 



e - o 



Trf— 



i 



--t 



---X 



Get 



man, 



an 



lick 



ee 



O! 



up my 

Vw'en de man get up, so, 'e kill every one besides two ; dat big 
monkey vwas standin' to de door vwent outside ; one little t'ree-tail 
monkey stay up on de roof o' de house. Vw'en 'e come down on de 
vwoman, so^ 'e sink 'er right t'r'u' de floor. 

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. 



XVI. 
B' RABBY, B' BOUKI, AN' B' COW.^ 

Once it vwas a time, etc. 

Now dis day it vwas B' Rabby an' B' Bouki. It vwas blowin' ; 
dey did n' have nuthin' to heat ; dey could n' ketch no fish. Dey 
vwas trabblin' along to see if dey could n' find something to heat. 
An' now vw'en B' Rabby look 'e see one big cow ; 'e gone to de 
cow. Den 'e take his hand an' spank on de cow bottom. 'E say, 
" Hopen, Kabendye, hopen ! " Wen de cow bottom open B' Rabby 
jump in vwid his knife an' his pan. 'E cut his pan full o' meat. B' 
Rabby say, ''Hopen, Kabendye, hopen ! " and de cow bottom hopen 
an' B' Rabby jump out. 

Good! Now B' Rabby vwas goin' home; his pan full o' meat. 
B' Bouki see B' Rabby ; say, ** B' Rabby, whey you get all dat 
meat .?" B' Bouki say, "'f you don' tell me whey you get all dat 
meat I goin' tell ! " B' Rabby say, " Go right down dere whey you 
see one big cow." B' Bouki say, " Hall right ! " B' Rabby say, 
" Vw'en you git dere you must take your ban' an' spank hard on de 
cow bottom an' say, ' Hopen, Kabendye, hopen ! '" B' Rabby say, 
" Soon as dey hopen you must jump hin." Den 'e say, '* You see 

1 Boas, yotir. A7n. Folk-Lore, 1891, p. 13, has found this tale in the folk-lore 
of the Vancouver Island Indians, and even more widely distributed. Crane, /. c, 
gives from Bleek a story in which the Elephant swallows the Tortoise, in order 
to kill him. But the Tortoise " tore off his liver, heart, and kidneys," and thus 
killed the Elephant, then " came out of his dead body and went wherever it 
liked." Cf., also, XXXIV., Harris, Uncle Remus, I. c., p. 143; III., Fortier, 
Trans. Mod. Lang. As. of Am. vol. iii. Baltimore, 1888, pp. 128 and 153. 



73 Bahama Songs and Stories, 

one big t'ing inside dere ; you must n' cut dat ! " B' Rabby say, 
'* Mind, 'f you cut dat de cow goin' to fall down dead." B' Bouki 
gone. Vw'en 'e got dere 'e take his hand ; *e spank on de cow bot- 
tom an' 'e say, " Hopen, Kabendye, hopen ! " Den 'e jump hin. B' 
Bouki cut, 'e ciity 'e cut his hand full ! B' Bouki wan' satisfied ; 'e 
went an' 'e cut de cow heart ; de cow fall down ; braii, 'e dead ! 
Den B* Bouki say, *' Hopen, Kabendye, hopen ! " After 'e foun' de 
cow bottom could n' hopen, 'e vwen' inside de cow mouth. Nex' 
mornin', vw'en de people come to feed 'im, dey found de cow 
dead. 

Now dey begin to clean de cow ; skin 'im. After dey done clean 
'im dey cut 'im hopen ; dey take hout all his guts. B' Bouki vwas 
inside de maw ; swell up. De vwoman say, '* Cut dat big t'ing open. 
See what in dere ! " After dat dey vwent to cut it open ; den B' 
Bouki jump 'way yonder. Dey did n' see 'im. B' Bouki say, '' See 
what you t'row on me. Ma jus' sent me down here to buy fresh 
beef, den you go t'row all dis nasty stuff on me ! " De people say, 
" Hush, don' cry, we give you half o' de cow ! " B' Bouki say, " I 
don' want no half! " 'E say, "I goin' to carry you to jail !" Den 
de man say, ** No, B' Bouki, we give you half o' de cow ! " De man 
goin' t'row anudder stinkin' pan o' water an' blood hout. B' Bouki 
jump 'way yonder. De man t'row it on B' Bouki. Den B' Bouki 
say, " Now I ain' goin' to stop ; I goin' carry you right to de jail ! " 
De man say, '' Hush, B' Bouki, don' cry, I goin' give you half o' de 
cow ! " Anyhow, dey give B' Bouki half o' de cow. B' Bouki take 
it on his shoulder ; 'e gone. 

Vw'en 'e look 'e see B' Rabby. B' Rabby say, '* Hey, whey you 
get all o' dat meat.?" B' Bouki say, " I went down dere ; I cut dat 
big, big t'ing in de cow, an' de cow fall down dead." Den 'e say, 
"Wen de people come in de mornin' to kill de cow," 'e say, ''I was 
inside de cow ; vw'en dey cut dat big t'ing I jump 'way yonder ; I 
say, ' See what you t'row 'pon me ! ' 'e say, ** Den dey give me half 
o' de cow." B' Rabby say, " Dat 's de way to do ! " 

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. 



De Man an de Dog, 79 



XVII. 
DE MAN AN' DE DOG.i 

Once it vwas a time, etc. 

Now dis day it vwas one man. 'E had one sour-sop ^ tree ; 'e 
did n't use to let no people know. He wife an' 'e children could 
hardly get anything to heat. Every mornin' de man use t' go from 
his house to dat tree to heat his breakfast. 

Now de woman say, ** Wonde' whey my husban' does git hev'ry 
t'ing to heat." She get one bag o' hashes. She say, *'My husban', 
come ere' an' let me fix your shirt ! " Den she tied de bag hashes 
on he back. Vw'en de man vwas goin' to dat tree de hashes did drop 
hout. 'E vwent to his sour-sop tree ; 'e heat as much 's 'e vwan', 
den 'e come avay. Vw'en 'e come home de vwoman say, " My hus- 
ban', come 'ere ; le' me fix your shirt again." Den she take de bag 
hashes off 'im. 

Hafter dat de vwoman vwent dere to de sour-sop tree ; she pull 
hev'ry one clean ; only leave one. De man say, ** My soul ! some- 
body been here, take hall my sour-sop ! " De man climb up in de 
tree. 'E take one stick ; 'e reach up to dat limb an' try to get 'e 
sour-sop down, an' 'e could n't get it. 

'E see B' Sheep ; 'e say, " B' Sheep, get dis sour-sop fur me ; I '11 
give you half." B' Sheep say, **No, I vwan' hall ! " 

'E see B' Tiger. De man say, " B' Tiger, get dis sour-sop fur me ; 
I '11 give you half." B' Tiger say, " No, I vwan' hall ! " 

'E see B' Lion. 'E say, ** B' Lion, git dis sour-sop fur me ; I '11 
give you half." B' Lion say, *' No, I vwan' hall!" Den he see B' 
Dog ; 'e say, ** B' Dog ! " " B' Dog say, '' Hey ! " 'E say, " Get dis 
sour-sop fur me ; I give you half." B' Dog say, ^^ Hall right ! " B' 
Dog ketch it. Soon 's 'e git 'im, so, 'e put hoff a running ; 'im an' 
de dog. De dog fin' de man vwas comin' on 'im so, 'e burry right 
up in de sand. 

Now de dog jus' leave 'e two heyes out ; vw'en 'e get dere de man 
say, '' Ho my ! look at de san' got heyes ! " De man vwen', tell de 
people de san' got heyes. 'E gone call hall de people. Vw'en hall 
on 'em come now, dey look ; dey say, " Ho yes, de san' got heyes 
fur truth ! " Vw'en de man dig ; vw'en 'e foun' hout vwas dat same 
dog, 'e ketch 'im ; 'e squeeze 'im dead. 

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. 

^ Cf. II., Harris, Uncle Remus and His Friendsy Boston, 1892, pp. 16-21; 
XXXI., Chatelain, /. <;., p. 209. 
2 A species of Anona, the A. muricata. 



So Bahama Songs and Stories, 

XVIII. 
B' LOGGERHEAD,\B' DOG, AN' B' RABBY. 

Once it vwas a time, etc. 

Now dis day B' Loggerhead an' B' Dog could n't find nothing to 
heat. B' Loggerhead say, **B' Dog, you like fish.?" B' Dog say, 
" Yes ! " B' Dog say, *' B' Loggerhead, you like conch t " B' Log- 
herhead say, "Yes ! " 

Now dey gone ; dey gone to B' Rabby's craw.^ Plenty conchs an' 
fish vwas dere. So B' Loggerhead pitch ^ right inside ; gone right 
flat to bottom. Wen B' Dog pitch, 'e float. 'E pitch again ; float ! 
Pitch again \ float ! B' Dog say, " I cahn' get no fish ; I goan' tell 
B' Rabby ! " B' Dog gone. 

B' Rabby vwas vay up on de hill lookin' at 'em' B' Dog say, 
" Hey, B' Rabby ! B' Loggerhead down dere eatin' all your conchs ! " 
B' Rabby ketch B' Dog ; vw'en 'e dash 'im down e' kill 'im. 'E 
gone ; 'e taught 'e do B' Loggerhead like 'e do B' Dog. Vw'en 'e 
fire de stick at B' Loggerhead, so^ B' Loggerhead jump right out de 
craw. 'E take one little boat ; 'e vwent chasin' B' Loggerhead. 
Vw'en B' Loggerhead pitch at B' Rabby, so^ it nearly turn de boat 
over. Good! B' Rabby say, "You know you goin' sink me." 
Vw'en B' Loggerhead pitch at B' Rabby, so, € knock de boat right 
over. B' Rabby say, " O damn ! I gone ! " 

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. 



XIX. 
B' DEVIL AN' B' GOAT.^ 

. Once it vwas a time, etc. 

B' Devil ax B' Goat come down to brother-in-law with him to git 
some good dinner. An' before 'e got to 'e brother-in-law ; 't was a 
place, sof ' mud ; an' other place, 't was a rock ; an' B' Devil tol' him 
to jump 'cross the sof place an' 'e '11 jump ' cross the rock. B' Goat 
stuck in the mud ; covered all his heys. B' Goat tol' B' Devil to 
*' Look what you gone cause me to do ! " B' Devil tol' 'im, " You 
fool you, I didn' tol' you to jump dere ! " 

They met up with some sea-grape tree. B' Devil tol' B' Goat to 

1 A common species of turtle. ^ Live-box for fish. 

3 Dive. * Cf. XXI., Chatelain, /. c, p. 179. 



E* Devil a7i B^ Goat. 



8i 



" eat all de leaves an' 'e 'd eat all de grapes." Went from sea-grape 
tree to cane fiel', an' B' Devil tol' B' Goat, *' Now, B' Goat, you eat 
all de leaves an' I '11 eat all de cane." B' Goat het de leaves an' dey 
stuck him in 'is mouth. Said to B' Devil, " See what you done cause 
me to do!" B' Devil said, *'You fool, you! I did n' tell you to 
heat all dem leaves ! " Went from a cane fiel' to a pine ^ fiel', an' 
w'en 'e got dere B' Devil tol' 'im, " You heat all de leaves an' I eat 
all de pine." When B' Goat was eatin' the pine-slips, dey stuck 'im 
in his mouth. B' Goat said, *' B' Devil, see what you made me do ! " 
'E say "You fool, I didn' tell you to do dat ! Now w'en you go to 
brother-in-law you 'mus' say, ' Good evenin', brutes an' 'ogs,' an I' 11 
say, ' Good even', ladies an' gentlemen.' " When he said, " Good 
even', brutes an' 'ogs," 'e brother-in-law kicked 'im right out. 

De nex' day 'e wen' out with B' Bouki. B' Devil said to B' Bouki, 
says, ''Wen you get dere, you jump 'cross de mud, an' I '11 jump 
over de rock." B' Bouki say, ''W'en you jump 'cross de mud, me 
too." B' Bouki say again, " W'en you jump 'cross de rock, me too." 
Went from there to de sea-grape tree. B' Devil said, " W'en you 
get to de sea-grape tree, you eat all de leaves, an' I eat all de grapes." 
B' Bouki say, " W'en you eat all de grapes, me too." Den wen' from 
dere to cane fiel'. W'en 'e got to de cane fiel' B' Devil said to B' 
Bouki, " You eat all de leaves an' I eat all de cane.'' Went from de 
cane fiel' to de pine fiel'. Says, " W'en you git to de pine fiel', you eat 
all de pine-slips an' I eat all de pines." " W'en you eat all de pines, 
me too ; w'en you eat all de leaves, me too." Dey wen' from dere 
to de brother-in-law. 'E say, *' W'en you git to brother-in-law, you 
say, ' Good even', brutes an' 'ogs,' an' I say, ' Good even', ladies an' 
gentlemen.' " B' Bouki say, "W'en you say, 'Good even', brutes an' 
'ogs,' me too. W'en you say, 'Good even', ladies an' gentlemen,' me 
too." W'en dey get to brother-in-law B' Devil say, "Good even', 
ladies an' gentlemen." B' Bouki say, "Good even', ladies an' gen- 
tlemen," too. W'en dey was comin' away, B' Bouki got 'is fiddle ; 
played on 'is fiddle : — 



Con spirito. 




Do you t'ink you goin' to fool me Like you fool B' 



Dtt S 1 






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X! I^JBj. 


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Goat ? Do you t'ink you goin' to fool me like you fool B' Goat ? 

^ g^ tf I N — I N I — r*^ — r* ^ I N I N 



=? 



s 



I 've bin down to broth-er - in - law an' got good din-nah. 

1 Pineapple. 



82 Bahama Songs and Stories, 

B' Devil say, " Play dat thing again, boy ! " B' Bouki take 'is fiddle 

" Do you t'ink you goin' to fool me like you fool B' Goat ? 
Do you t'ink you goin' to fool me like you fool B' Goat? 
You t'ink you goin' to fool me, but you fool you'self ! " 

An' B' Devil kick B' Bouki, an' 'e kick B' Bouki right over. 

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. 



XX. 

B' HELLIBABY AN' B' DAWNDEJANE. 

Once it vwas a time, etc. 

Dey was two brothers. Dey knew whey de cave was whe' de 
robbers was ; plenty money. B' Dawndejane sent to buy a tub from 
other baby's wife. To know what 'e was goin' to do with de tub, 
she tawhed de bottom of it. Then 'e started an' went off to de cave. 
Wen 'e got to de cave 'e says, " Open she-she, open ! " It hopened 
an' 'e went in. Filled 'is cawt with money. Afte'wards 'e came 
out an' went home. Wen 'e went home 'e sent de tub home to 
other baby's wife. She raised de tub an' looked under it an' found 
money. She wen' sent Hellibaby to 'is brother, an' she ask 'im, 
"Whey'e git it.''" B' Dawndejane tol' 'im whey 'e got it; de rob- 
bers' cave. 

So 'e went off to de cave ; an' 'e was big-heyed w'en 'e got to de 
cave ; wanted to bring too much. An' 'e filled 'is cawt too full an' 
'e couldn' git out. The robbers came an' caught 'im ; an' dey tore 
'im open ; hung 'im up on de tree. 

Afte' 'e did n' come for t'ree days, 'is wife sent 'is brother to look 
for 'im ; n' 'e foun' 'im in de tree, tore open. Take 'im an' 'e put 'im 
in a cawt an' brought 'im to a shoemaker : said to de shoemaker, 
" Can't you stitch 'im neat 1 Sew 'im neat an' put life in 'im t " 
Shoemaker tol' 'im '' I co' stitch 'im neat an' sew 'im neat, but I can' 
put no life in 'im." Shoemaker stitched 'im neat an' 'e sewed 'im 
neat, an' dey hurried 'im. An' w'en de robbers came home, dey 
missed 'im. They ask de shoemaker, " Dey see dem bring a man 
dead.?" Dey tol' 'im, ''Yes." 

Dey call a dance at B' Dawndejane' house. Dey brought jugs, 
an' set in dejugs; de robbers did. While dey was dancin', B' Dawn- 
dejane tol' B' Hellibaby wife to boil two cans of oil an' turn it in de 

^ Cf. IV., Fortier, /. c.^ pp. 128 and 154. 



^Bout a Bird. 



83 



jugs ; all excep' one, in which was head man. Dey turn in all de 
jugs excep' one. When B' Dawndejane went to de door, 'e hol- 
loed, " Come in, gentlemens ! " De head man went in. Dey kill 
'im ; dey kill dem all, so ! Dey went an' taken charge of de robbers' 
cave, an' dey have been rich from dat day till now. 

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. 



XXI. 
'BOUT A BIRD. 



Once it vwas a time, etc. 

The fellah, 'is fathe' an' mothe' was dead. An' 'is gran'mothe' 
was a witch ; w'at 'e use to stay with. 'E hid something to eh, w'en 
'e was small. An' w'en 'e grew big, she tol' 'im if 'e did n' fin' it, 
she kill 'im. 'E made twenty-five coops ; each one o' them caught 
birds an' she et them. 'E made fifty ; 'e says, ** I know she can't 
eat themr She et them fifty. 'E made a hunderd ; 'e says, '' I 
know she can't eat a himderdr She et ninety-an'-nine of them. 
The one what was left was a very handsome bird. 'E taken it hout 
an' fed it. It went up on de house an' begun to sing. 'E commence 
to sing : — 




to man - go. 



Wen 'e look, saw ol' sailor comin'. Sailor said to 'im, "Whey's all 
dis music I heah asho' here.?" "'T is n't any music 't all; all de 
music here, little bird's got it." Sailor ax him, "What will you 
sell 'im for .? " 'E said, " Nothing ! " Says, " What will you let 'im 
sing fah, den } " " Two thousan' ! " E' let 'im sing. Sailor give 'im 
'is two thousan' dollahs. Aftah that one was gone, anothe' one 
come. Said, " Say^ John, whey 's all dis music I heah sho' he'ah } " 
Says, *' 'T is n't any music 't all ; all de music you heah ; dis little 
bird got it." Ax 'im, " What will 'e sell it fah t " Said, " 'E see 
afte' a-while. Said, " What will you let 'im sing fah t " 'E said, 
" Fo' thousan' ! " Afte' e' was done singin' 'e said, " What will 'e 



84 



Bahama Songs and Stories. 



sell 'im fah?" 'E said, "Two thousan* ! " Sailor give 'im 'is six 
thousan' dollah, an' 'e carried 'im 'board de schoone'. 

Wen 'e got to de schooner, bird flew in de companion ; commence 
to singdeh. Flew from de companion to gafl"; from gaff to jib-stay; 
from jib-stay flew back to 'is old master again. 

One day 'is owner went out to walk ; 'e an' 'is lady. Wen 'e 
come home 'is bird was gone ; gran'-mothe' had sold 'im fah two 
hunderd dollahs. Tol' 'er 'f she did n' fin' it 'e would burn eh in 
tah bah'l. De nex' day 'is bird came home. Still 'e burn 'is gran'- 
mothe' in de tah bah'l. 

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. 



XXII. 



A YOUNG LAD AN' 'IS MOTHER. 



Once it vwas a time, etc. 

He had three siste's, an' 'e wanted one o' them fah 'is wife an' is 
mothe' would n' let 'im have 'er. 'E built a little boat ; 'e tol' 'er 'e 
go away an' 'e won't come back any more. Afte' 'e wen' away an' 
when it was dinnah time, 'is mothe' went down to de sea with a plate 
of dinnah ; sung this song : — 



>r~^- 




t=^ 



-~T- 



^—-ii—& 



i 



:^— -• 



— •— 



U sang - e wi - ley, come home, U sang - e wi - ley, come home, 



:^: 



-A- ^ V 



9-r 



-v^ 



Come, come, come, come,come ketch you 



yi 



a 



mah. 



m^t 



w 



--■^ 



del - e - wah, 

^— , — ^ 



del - e - wah. My 




moth 



We know you, you ain't the one. 



She went hup to the house an' de nex' eldes' siste' came down 
an' sang de same song, an' 'e tol' 'er to go back ; she was n't the 
one. Afte' she went up de younges' siste' came down ; de one 'e 
wanted fah a wife. She sung de same song. Then 'e paddled 'is 
boat in to de shore ; caught 'er by de han' an' dragged 'er into de 



B' Parakeet an B' Frog, 85 

boat. Tol' 'er 'f she did n' have 'im 'e sink de boat, and 'e '11 turn to 

cub,i aj^' si^e '11 tyj-n to a porper.^ She tol' 'im, '* No ! " an 'e sunk 

de boat. She turn to a porper, an' 'e turn to a cub ; and the porper 

beat the cub, an' from dat day till now the porper always beats de 

cub. 

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. 



XXIII. 
B' PARAKEET AN' B' FROG. 

Once it vwas a time, etc. 

You know 't was a man ; 'e had nine acre' of groun' to cut down. 
An' 'e said, 'f 'e could get anybody to cut it down in a week, that 'e 
would give 'im 'is eldes' daughter to wife an' t'ree hunderd dollah. 

Miste' B' Frog says, " I t'ink 'f deys any workin'man in de worl', 
Miste' B' Frog de man ! " Miste' B' Frog started. Met Miste' B' 
Parakeet; says, "If you come go with me an' help me to cut down 
this piece of groun' I give a good breakfas'. B' Parakeet says, '* All 
right, I go." 'E put 'im in a bag an' carried 'im. W'en'e got dere 
Miste' B' Frog got up in a tree. 'E says, " I t'ink 'f deys any work- 
in'man in de worl', Miste' B' Frog 's de man ; Quaw-aw-aw, Quaw- 
aw-aw ! " Not a leaf did drop. Miste' B' Parakeet came out an' went 
up in a tree an 'e commence to sing : — 




to yum-bay, yat - en - day, yum - bay, O to yum-bay. 

An' half an acre fell down. 

Wen B' Frog look 'e saw de man's daughter comin'. 'E said, 
" Parakeet come down out o' that tree ; get in dis bag ; don' let 'eh 
see ye." Wen she got dere she say, " I t'ink if dey 's any workin'- 
man in de worl', Miste' B' Frog de man." 'E ax 'er fah a kiss. She 
tol' 'im, '* No, wait till to-morrah." Nex' day she came back again. 
Said to him, " What 's dat pretty song I heard you singin' befo' I 
got dere 1 " 'E said to 'er, '' De only song in de worl' I been singin' ; 
*I think 'f dey's any workin'man in de worl', Miste' B' Frog's de 
man ; Quaw-quaw-aw ! " She says, " I thought I heard one prettier 
than that." An' 'e ask 'er fah a kiss, an' she gave it to 'im. Miste' 
B' Parakeet did n' like it. Nex' day B' Parakeet went again with B' 
Frog. B' Parakeet got up in a tree ; began to sing : — 

1 Man-eating shark. 2 Porpoise. 



86 Bahama Songs and Stories, 

*' O to yum-bay, yat-en-day, yum-bay, 
O to yum-bay." 

Wen B' Frog saw 'er comin' again de nex' day, 'e say, ** Fah 
Gawd sake, B' Parakeet come down an' git in dis bag ! " B' Para- 
keet say, "No, I ain't comin' down to-day." B' Frog say, ''B' Para- 
keet, fah Gawd sake, come down!" 'E say, "No, I ain' comin' 
down ! " Then de girl come in de fiel' an' B' Frog sunk unde' de 
dry leaves an' just lef 'is head out, 'e was so shame' ! She said, " I 
thought it wan't Miste' B' Frog doin' all dis work ! " She went 
home an' tol' her fathe' ; an' B' Frog wanted to beat Miste' B' Para- 
keet. An' B' Parakeet said, " Cut 'im off in de eas' ! " Miste' B' 
Frog turn 'n' run to westward. Miste' B' Parakeet said, " Cut 'im 
off to westwahd ! " B' Frog met a goat. 'E say, "Did you see B' 
Parakeet.?" 'E say, "All that fray I an' 'im had is done." Miste' 
B' Parakeet married de lady an' got 'er three hunderd dollahs. 

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. 



XXIV. 
'BOUT B' DOG, B' CAT, B' RABBIT, AN' B' GOAT. 

Once it vwas a time, etc. 

Had a dinnah one day an' had a lot o' beef. B' Dog was a very 
great lover of a beef bone. Whiles dey were 'roun' de table heatin', 
B' Goat threw lot o' beef bone out o' de window. B' Dog turn 
'roun' an' looked at it short. B' Cat says, "Min', B' Dog, don't 
make no shame here to-day" (by bad habits of jumpin' out de window 
fah beef bone). 

B' Rabbit throwed out one. B' Dog jumped out de window afte' 
it; B' Cat out afte' B' Dog; chasin' 'im. Afte' B' Cat foun' 'e 
could n' ketch 'im, 'e went back to de house. Said, " Did n' I tell 
you 'bout havin' B' Dog here } Did n' I tell you B' Dog make a 
shame } " B' Cat was as bad as B' Dog ; 'e was chasin' 'im to get 
it. That story 's ended. 

E bo ban, my story 's en,' etc. 



A ' Young Lady an 'er Son, 



87 



XXV. 
THE LADY AN' 'ER TWO DAWTAHS AN' 'ER HUSBAN'. 

Once it vwas a time, etc. 

'Eh husban' gener'ly like peppah in 'is food. Dis day 'e came 
home off de fiel', she had peas fah dinnah. They was n't peppah 
enough fah 'im. Tol' 'is wife to go an' git some mo' peppahs. ^She 
went an' got 'er han' full. She mashed them up an' put it in de 
peas. Then 'e et two spoonfuls ; 't was so peppery 'e ax fah watah. 
'E sent de heldes' dawtah to de well fah watah. When she got there, 
B' Parakeet jumped out with 'is fiddle. Commence to play this : — 




Kan 



i it wan't no dip - pe' in de well. Kan - gi 



yang. 



She jumped out an' begun to dance. De nex' eldes' come down. 
Said, '* Mah 's goin' to kill you ! " When she went to draw de 
watah, 'e played de same song with 'is fiddle. She went out fah a 
pardne' fah 'eh siste'. When they look again, de mothe' come down. 
When she went to go to dip de watah B' Parakeet played de same 
song. She went out to dance. Then 'eh husban' come down. 
When 'e went to get in de well to drink de watah, B' Parakeet went 
down an' played de same song with 'is fiddle an' 'e went out pard- 
ner fah 'is wife. 'E dahnced till 'e dahnced 'eself dead. 

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. 



XXVI. 
A YOUNG LADY AN' 'ER SON. 

Once it vwas a time, etc. 

The lady she had a drum in de house ; she told her son not to 
beat it. That if he would beat it the spirits would dreg him away. 
Afte' she was gone out a hearin' 'e got de drum an' commence to 
knock : — 




Mama gone in bay- road,Papa soon come back,On-ly poor me won't,On-ly 



Bahama Songs and Stories. 

I — R— i"-i — P-i"R — RR"!' — | ™ ^ ™ i ™i- 

1 \~A — hH 1 1 i 1 — I 1 1 1 1 — l-d- 



poor me won't,Dumeracker,Dumeracker,Dumeracker,Dumeracker,I wan' to go ; 




4-ji-4-^-n^-^-^-^-ii-^—^—d-^-id—4- ii-'^ 



it 



~<s>- 



Dumeracker,Dumeracker,Dumeracker,Duineracker, I wan' to go. 



When 'e looked 'e saw the spirits comin'. Say, " Boy beat dat 
t'in^ 'gain ; le' me dance ! " 'E says, " I cahn' knock ! " 'E says, 
*' O B' Frog, come knock dis t'ing for me ! " B' Frog say, " I cahn' 
knock." 'E says, " O B' Yabby, knock dis t'ing fah me." B' Yabby 
says, " I cahn' knock." 'E say, *' O B' Monkey, knock dis t'ing fah 
me!" B' Monkey say, ''I tell you what I do." 'E say, "Go to 
you' pa's trunk an' git me t'ree shillin' flakes o' tobacco." 'E went 
an' got 'im de tobacco. B' Monkey put one piece in 'is mouth, an' 
'e commence to knock de drum : — 

Ma-ma gone in bay-road, etc. 

'E kep' B' Monkey knockin' all day. Afte' that the spirits went 
away. 

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. 



XXVII. 
B* GOAT, B' BOUKI, AN' B' RABBIT. 

Once it vwas a time, etc. 

Dey went in de sea one day. B' Rabbit had a very splendid chain 
around 'is neck. 01' man came an' taken 'is chain. B' Rabbit say, 
" Oh, B' Bouki an' B' Goat ; come, go git me chain." B' Bouki say, 
'* You want you' chain go you'sel' ; we ain' goin' with ye." 

B' Rabbit stahrted. 'E run ; 'e run ; till 'e caught up de ol' man. 
'E says, "Master," says, "please to gi* me my chain." 'E says, 
"You ride me from here way to dat hill yande', I gi' you you' 
chain." 'E rode 'im from theh to thet hill ; set 'im down ; say, 
" Maste', gi' me my chain." 'E say, " Now ride me from dat hill 
way to dat bother hill, way yande', an' I gi' you you' chain." ('E 
wanted to kill B' Rabbit.) Put 'im down. 'E say, " Ride me to dat 
house in de wally, way yonde', an' I gi' to you." 'E rode 'im to dat 
house. Man took 'im an' t'row 'im in de house. 'E say, " You 
stay theh." 

De man had a gold band an' a horse. Comin' towards dinnah 
time 'e says, "What you' mah does give you fah you' dinnah.?" 



The Woman an 'eh Husband 89 

B' Rabbit said, " My mah always gi' me pebble soup." Man went an' 
take an' fill de pot full o' pebbles. 'E says, " Well, how much wood 
you* mah does take t " " T'ree cords." De man went an' got one 
cord ; 'e burnt dat out. Taken 'is fork to try 'em to see 'f dey was 
done. Wen 'e struck 'em dey went Ka-bang ! " Then stahrted to 
go fah de othe' cord. B' Rabbit went an' taken de man's gold band 
an' horse. When B' Rabbit got home he hid de band an' horse. 

or man stahrted to look fah 'is horse. First house 'e come to was 
B' Rabbit's house. 'E says, " Oh, little boy, you see any little boy 
go by with a horse an' drum t ^ B' Yabby say, " Yes, Masse' ; I see 
'im go way up de street." 'E say, " 01' man come git some sour." ^ 
B' Rabbit had a hole dug unde' de floo' ; had some boards laid on 
it. An' 'e set the man's cheh. right ove' that hole ; an' the table. 
De man say, *' I would n' matte' gittin' somet'in' to eat, Beyeh." ^ 
Afte' de man was finish eatin', B' Rabbit gi' de man a pipe to smoke. 
De fellah laid on de arm-cheh ; commence to smokin'. B' Rabbit 
taken 'is feet an' move away de board. 01' man went down ; table, 
chehr, an' all. B' Rabbit sung out, '*Full^ up, mah, full up, pa ; full 
up, mah, full up, pa ! " Dey fulled de hole right up an' beatin' it 
down. An' thus ended that 'ol' story. 

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. 



XXVIII. 
THE WOMAN AN' 'EH HUSBAN*. 

Once it vwas a time, etc. 

No' a woman ; 'er husban' was very sick. She went to de doctah 
to see w'at she mus' do fah 'im. Doctah tol* 'er she mus' put 'im 
in a wahm bath. She went home an' het the hoven as hot as she 
could be. Then she swept de coals out an' set 'im inside o' her ; 
stoped de hoven up. W'en she went to it through the day to take 
'im out, behol' e' was settin' hup grinnin'. She says, " It 's doctah's 
orders ; 'grin an' bear it !' " W'en she went to take 'im out she 
says, *' O Gawd, my husban 's dead!" She ran off fah de doctah. 
Doctah, 'e says to 'er, " You fool, you ! I did n' tell you to do dat ; I 
tell you to put 'im in a wahm bath." 

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. 
1 Band. * 2 Limes. ^ Brother. * Fill. 



90 Bahama Songs and Stories, 

XXIX. 
B' BIG-HEAD AN' B' LITTLE-HEAD. 

Once it vwas a time, etc. 

B' Big-head an' B' Little-head went fah a walk one day. Dey met 
up by a whole lot o' pears. Dey set down an' het all dey want. 
Afte' dey was finish' eatin' de pears, dey went to look fah some 
watah. Dey met up by a hole o' watah. B' Big-head say to B' Lit- 
tle-head, " Le' me drink first." B' Little-head say, " No, le' me 
drink first." B' Little-head stoop down to drink much as 'e want. 
B' Big-head went to drink. De mo' B' Big-head use' to drink, de 
mo' 'is head use' to grow. Wen 'e had enough, 'e said, " O B' Lit- 
tle-head, come pull me out ! " B' Little-head say, " I cahn' pull you 
out ! " 'E caught hold 'im, 'e pull ; 'e cahn' pull 'im out. 'E say, 
" O Gaw', B' Big-head, look at de Devil ! " Wen B' Big-head raise 
'e broke 'is head off, an' left it in de hole. 'E went home runnin' 
with no head, an' dat ended de 'old story. 

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. 



XXX. 
A BOY AN' SHEEP. 

Once it vwas a time, etc. 

A boy, once he was mindin' sheep, 'E los' one of 'is sheep one 
night. He watch how a deer sleep. Caught de deer an' 'e carried 
'im 'ome. Got 'im five hunderd dollahs fah dat. Nex' night 'e los' 
anothe' of 'is sheep. Wen' an' watched how a 'helephint sleep. 
Elephint sleep leanin' against a tree. Boy got two bags. 'E wet 
'em with kerosene oil, an' hung 'em up unde' de tree. B' Helephint 
picked up de bags : '* Hunh, covehs smell sweet to-night." Shoved 
'is head in ; in de bags. Boy came an' burnt 'im up there. 'E went 
an' 'e got 'im three hunderd dollahs fah that. 

'E left off mindin' sheep. 'E went to a man to mind 'oses. 
Ev'ry year dis man, w'at 'e went to mind 'oses to, got to change one 
o' 'is dawtahs fah watah. This was de las' dawtah 'e had to change 
fah watah, when de boy went dere to stop. The boy axed de coach- 
man o' de carriage to let 'im go. Coachman taken 'im ; kicked 'im 
down in de mud. Went an' shook all de shep'erd needles out o' de 
bag. 'E says, " Pick 'em up one by one, an' put 'em in de bag." 



Scene at the Celebration of E?7iancipation 



De Girl an de Fish, 91 

De coachman stahrted out to go to change de girl fah watah. The 
boy went up on de 'os' stable. Said, " Needles, go in de bag ! " De 
needles went in de bag. 

Boy went down an' got 'is 'os' an' kerridge ; dressed down fine, 
in a suit o' diagonal an' a beaver. When dey got there, when dey 
was about to change eh fah watah, that boy was there, a mile off in 
'is kerridge. 'E says, " Befo' dis man shall have dis woman, let two 
boar lizards fight." When 'e look de two boar lizards was on de 
groun' fightin'. While de two lizards was fightin' dey got de watah 
an' went away ; carried de girl back home again. 

Nex' year dey went to change eh again. De boy axed de coach- 
man to let 'im go again. Coachman told 'im, *' No, 'e was n't to go." 
De boy did n't say nothin'. Wen dey went dere dey met de boy dere 
in de kerridge ; dey didn't know 'im. 'E says, *' Befo' dis man shall 
have dis woman let two cocks fight." Wile de two cocks was 
fightin' 'e taken out 'is han'ke'chief outen 'is pocket an' put a red 
stain on it. Passed it to the girl. W'en she went home she went 
an' cahed it to 'er fathe'. 'Eh fathe' called all de high people of dat 
place an' said, " 'F any man can get dat stain out o' that handke'- 
chief, 'e give 'eh to 'im fah wife an' two thousan' dollahs." All on 
'em was tryin', dey could n' git it out. This fellah haxed them to 
let 'im try it. Fathe' told 'im, ''AH right, 'e could try it." 'E rolled 
up 'is sleeve ; spread the handke' chief over 'is harm ; then 'e spit 
on it, taken 'is hand an' rubbed over it. The stain went out. Her 
fathe' give 'er to 'im to wife an' 'is two thousan' dollahs. Dat en's 

de hold story. 

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. 



XXXI. 
DE GIRL AN' DE FISH.i 

Dis day dis girl vwen' down to de sea for salt vwatah. She ketch 
one little fish hout de conch shell.^ She name 'im Choncho-wally. 
She put 'im in de vwell. Ev'ry mohnen she use' to put some 'er 
breakfas' in de bucket an' carry to de fish ; an' some 'er dinner, an' 
some 'er supper. She feed 'im 'till 'e get a big fish. 

Dis mohnin, vw'en she vwen' to cahy de breakfas' for 'im, she 
sing : — 

1 In this and the following tales, generally given as " fairy stories," one may 
detect elements of the familiar marchen of universal folk-lore. For XXXI., cf. 
"The Golden Fish," Fortier, Jour. Am. Folk-Lore, 1888. 

2 One of the common sports of Bahama children is to catch tiny fish which 
find harbor in old conch shells. 



92 Bahama Songs and Stories, 



p ^pn^ — 4 * ^ -F^ ^-f* — a^ * ^-F | •— <g— P — •-•-» — ^- ji 



Conch-o,Conch-o-wall - y, Don't you vwan' to mar- ry me, My deddy short-tail ? 

'E comes up an' she feed 'im. Den she let 'im go down. Vw'en 
she vwen' home, de boy say, *' Pa, siste' got somet'in' inside de 
vwell." 

Den de nex' day she come ; bring vittles again for 'im. De man 
say to de boy, " You go behin' de tree an' listen to vw'at she goin' 
sing." De gal sing : — 

" Conch-o, Conch-o-wally, 
Don't you vwan' to marry me, 
My deddy short-tail ? " 

Huh ! De boy ketch it ; 'e gone ; tell 'e pa. De boy say, '* Pa, 

sister say, — 

' Conch-o, Conch-o-wally,' " etc. 

De man go ; 'e took he grange,^ 'e sing, — 

" Conch-o, Conch-o-wally," etc. 

De fish come hup ; 'e strike 'im'. 'E carry 'im home an' dey had 
some fur dinner. De gal say, '' I bet you dis nice fish ! " 

Den de gal took some in de bucket to cahy to de fish. Den vw'en 
de gal vwen' to de vwell to call de fish, she sing, — 

" Conch-o, Conch-o-wally," etc. 
She sing again, — 

" Conch-o, Conch-o-wally," etc. 

She ain' hear no fish, an' she ain' see none. She sing again, — 

" Conch-o, Conch-o-wally," etc. 
She begin to cry now, — 

" Conch-o, Conch-o-wally," etc. 

Den she vwen' home to de house, behin' de house, an' she cry 'er- 

self to death. 

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. 



XXXII. 
THREE BOYS AN' ONE WOMAN. 

Once it vwas a time, etc. 

Three boys went to look for a fortune one day. They met up by 
an ol' woman ; very rich. But still she use' to eat people. The lit- 
tle boy says, "■ 01' woman, please to let me sleep here to-night." She 
tol' them, " All right." She piit them under the bedstead to sleep. 

1 Fish-spear. 



A Lady an 'er Two Dawtahs, 



93 



W*en she thought they was to sleep, she got up an' got a razor, an' 
went to the grin'stone : — 




^— ^ — ^— N- 



N-H 



4: • # 



---^- 



^—ji 



-• — • — *- 



You turn de grin'stun, I sharp'n de razor,Shark-a-she,shark-a. 

Then the younges' boy jump up an' sung : — 



shark- a. 




O gren-di, gren-di, what make you do so? Shark-a-she,shark-a. shark-a. 



She says, '^ Little boy, little boy, why won't you go to sleep ? " 'E 
says, " My ma always kills de bigges' cow she got an' greets me 
with the fat." While she was killin' the cow 'e went an' cut three 
banana sucker. He laid them under the bedstead an' sent 'is other 
two brothers along. Then 'e went an' taken 'er money. She went 
to the grin'stone an' commence to sing that same song : — 

" You turn de grin'stun, I sharp'n de razor, 
Shark-a-she, shark-a." 

While she was grindin' de razor de boy went with the money. 
When she come in she thought the boys was unde' the bedstead. 
She was goin' to kill them then. She taken 'er razor an' cut one 
banana sucker in two. (She thought that was a boy she was cuttin'.) 
She cut the second banana sucker in two. Third banana sucker 
she cut in two ; de razor was so hot it went through the floor an' 
burn down the house, ol' lady an' all. That 's the whole story. 

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. 



XXXIII. 
A LADY AN' 'ER TWO DAWTAHS. 

Once it vwas a time, etc. 

Once it was a lady ; she had two dawtahs. This day two gentle- 
mens went to de house. One had on cassimere ; de other had on 
a suit o' diagonal, with a beaver ; that was the B' Devil. The 
younges' dawtah said to de heldes', " W'ich one you love bes' out o' 
de two } " She said, de heldes' one, " I love de one that 's got on 
de cassimere." De younges' one said, "I love de one that 's got on 
de diagonal bes'. (She wanted good clo's !) So de two got married. 



94 Bahama Songs and Stories, 

B' Devil taken 'is wife an' carried 'er to 'is house. An' de eldes' 
one, she married not far from 'er mah, an' she was livin' at de eas'. 

So she [the mother] had two boys. The younges' one said, " Mah, 
gi' me two bits ; " ^ says, "I '11 bring my siste' home." 'Is mothe' 
made answe', " Hush talkin' you' nonsense, boy ! " Says, ^' You' 
siste' bin married a year ago." 'E says, " Never min', you gi' me 
de two bits." She gave 'im de two bits. 'E went an' bought twelve 
pence ^ rice an' a threppence pork. Cooked 'is rice an' pork. 'Is 
brother come dere ; says, "You gi' me some o' you' rice." 'E says, 
" I '11 do anything you want me to." 'E says, "All right ! " So 'e 
gi' 'im the rice an' 'e het it. 'E got 'is horse an' cart, an' 'e harness 
'er up an' de two started. He got to a cocoanut-tree firs'. 'E says, 
" Pull up dat cocoanut-tree without breakin' a root in it." 'E says, 
" I cahnt, brother ! " 'E says, " Gi' me my rice ; gi' me my rice ! " 
*E says, " I cahnt gi' you your rice, now we het it ! " 'E says, " Gi' 
me my rice, d^ you, gi' me my rice ! " 

Anyhow, 'e pulled up de cocoanut-tree without breakin' a root in it, 
put in de cahrt, an' dey went on. Got to de siste's house ; taken out 
de horse outen de cahrt. H'ist up de cahrt in de roof of de house ; 
an' de cocoanut-tree. She went an' call B' Devil outen de fiel' ; tol' 
'im dat 'er brothers was comin'. She hed the table all ready to em- 
brace them so they could heat. When B' Devil come, 'e sat to de 
table. When e' was eatin', the boy stood up an' cut de rope away, 
an' de cahrt an' cocoanut-tree fell down on de floor. It frightened 
B' Devil an' 'e runned away. Boy taken 'is siste' an' carried 'eh 
home. That endest de story. 

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. 



XXXIV. 
B' JACK AN' B' SNAKE.3 

Once it vwas a time, etc. 

De Queen say, " B' Jack, if you can kill dis snake, I don' know 
how much money I would n' give you ! " So Jack say, " I wan' five 
hundr' dollars to go on a spree." So 'e gone up dere now. 'E say, 
" B' Snake, vw'at you tink dese foolish people say .? dey say you' 

* Eighteen cents. 

2 Cents. 

3 Probably founded upon "Jack the Giant-Killer." Cf. "The Rabbit desires 
a Long Tail," Christensen, /. ^., p. 36. 



B' Little-Clod an E Big-Clod, 95 

body cahn' go in dis half-hitch." ^ 'E come out de hole an' 'e vwen' 
in de half-hitch. Den Jack draw de half-hitch taut. Den all dese 
soljers come around ; dey cut 'im up in pieces. 

So den de Queen say, "Jack, I got one more trial fur you to do." 
'E say, **Vwell, vw'at'dat is.-*" "If you could go up 'ere in dis 
cornfier an' kill all de rice-bird, I let you git married to my daugh- 
ter," dat 's vw'at the Queen say. 'E vwen' to de fiel' to de rice-bird. 
So B' Jack say, " B' Rice-birds, vw'at you no tink dese foolish people 
say } dey say all o' you no rice-birds cahn' full up dis basket ! " De 
rice-birds say, " Vy people so foolish, no all us rice-birds cahn' full 
up dat basket ! " 

So all de rice-bird vwent in de basket. So B' Jack drawed de 
basket together with de rice-birds in it. So B' Jack vwen' home to 
de Queen with dese rice-birds. Say, " Her' de rice-birds." Queen 
say, "Vwell, B' Jack, you can get married to my daughter." 

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. 



XXXV. 
B' LITTLE-CLOD AN' B' BIG-CLOD.2 

Once it vwas a time, etc. 

B' Little-Clod had one horse and B' Big-Clod had two. B' Big- 
Clod use to take B' Little-Clod's boss an' to work 'im, and use to 
give 'im nothin' to heat. B' Little-Clod get wexed. An' 'e vwent to 
take B' Big-Clod's boss to work too. Vwen e' vwent to take 'is 
boss, B' Big-Clod slapped B' Little-Clod down an' e' sent 'im avay. 
'E say, "Jus' le' me sleep here to-night!" 'E sleep alongside 'is 
granfader, B' Little-Clod. B' Big-Clod put B' Little-Clod in front, 
an' put 'is granfader over back. An' B' Little-Clod 'e vwent over 
back, an' put 'is granfader in front. An' B' Big-Clod come an' 'e 
cut off 'is granfader's head because 'e t'ought it vwas B' Little-Clod. 
An' nex' mornin' B' Little-Clod vwent to buy one bottle o' beer. 'E 
sent 'is granfader a glass o' it, — vwat vwas dead. An' 'e fix on 'is 
granfader's head. Good ! 'E still had him layin' down. 'E sent it 
wid de man vw'ich 'e buy de bottle o' beer from. Vw'en de man 
vwen', 'e say, " Sir ! " an' 'e slap 'im side de head to make 'im 
vwake ; 'e t'ought 'im 'sleep an' 'e knock 'is head off. Den B' Little- 

^ Slipnoose. 

^ One can see in this story, albeit somewhat mutilated and abbreviated in the 
translation, the Bahama version of Andersen's " Little Claus and Big Claus." 



96 Bahama Songs and Stories, 

Clod begin to cry. De man say, " No, doan' cry," 'e say ; " I '11 
have 'im hurried decent, an' I '11 give you t'ree t'ousan' dollar be- 
sides, if you doan' make no noise ! " 

'E dig 'im up an' 'e carry 'im down in market to sell 'im. Dey 
vwas goin' put 'im in jail. Dey say 'e kill one ole man. An' as 'e 
vwas comin' back, dark did ketch him in de road an' e' ask one man 
to let 'im sleep dere dat night. An' man say, *' I let you sleep in de 
hold boss stable." An' 'e say, "All right, sir." An' de old man 
did ask 'im if 'e was hungry. An' 'e say, " Yes, sir." An' de man 
did give him some cold hominy to heat. An' de man, vw'en 'e vwas 
done eatin', 'e vwent in de boss stable an' 'e set down. An' as 'e 
vwas settin' down de man's wife come past an' see 'im, an' ax 'im, 
" Vw'at you want dere for } " 'E say, " You husban' sent me dere 
to sleep to-night." 

Vw'en B' Big-Clod did kill his boss, 'e had his boss skin in his ban' 
an' 'e tied it roun' his feet. De woman did give her husband cold 
hominy to heat. 

All de good t'ings she had for de tailor she put in de shelf. An* 
she put some in 'er bed ; an' she put de tailor in a big chist. An' 
den dey was settin' down in de house, de t'ree on 'em ; de little boy, 
de man, an' his wife. 

An' de man say to de little boy to pitch a riddle, an' den de boy 
say, " I don' feel like pitchin' no riddle ! " An' de woman say, 
" You know you' mudder an' you' f adder learn you some riddles." 
Hax 'im if could n' pitch no riddle. 'E say, " Hall right, mam." 'E 
say, " Ma riddle, ma riddle, ma-rendi-ho. Perhaps you can tell me 
dis riddle, an' perhaps you cahnt." ^ 

'E say, '' My mudder had a hog had twelve pigs bigger 'n de 
twelve burns 2 vw'at vwas in de hoven. De hog vwas jus' 'bout as 
big as de stuff' pig dat de woman got underneath de bed, an' de sty 
de hog vwas in jus' 'bout as big as de chist vw'at de tailor vwas in," 
— an' den de man vwent in de cubbard, 'e take down de twelve 
burns ; 'e take de stuff' pig from underneath de bed. 'E take de 
chist, an' 'e t'row it in de ribber, vw'at de man vwas in. An' 'im 
an' de boy heat de burns, an' dey had de stuff' pig. An' 'e take his 
wife an' 'e t'row 'er in de ribber. 

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc. 

1 The usual doggerel given when " pitching " or giving a riddle. 

2 Sweet cakes. 



Greo-Grass an Hop-d-my-Thumb, 97 



XXXVI. 
DE WOMAN AN' DE BELL-BOY.i 

It vwas a woman. She hax Miste' Sammy vw'at 'e do vw'en *e 
go huntin'. She told 'im he turns to wood, e' turn to rock, 'e turn to 
hiron. Den his gran'mudder call 'im. She said, ''My son, talk 
some an' laugh some." 

So dis day 'e vwen' huntin' in de woods. 'E met hup wid dis ole 
woman. She hax 'im 'f 'e vwant to take a vwalk wid 'er. 'E told 
'er, " No ! " 'E say, " E neve' vwas bro't up wid company.'* 

She vwent 'side de bush an' she turn to old vwitch. Her teet' ^ 
was two feet long. 'E turn to wood. She chop 'im down. Den 'e 
turn to hiron. She bite it down. Turn to rock. She blow it to 
pieces.. 'E turn to copper. She p'int it from 'er (vw'en she p'int, 
de rock vwaste avay). 

Den de boy turn to a bell. Den she turn back, said, " Le' me go 
to my restin' hole ! " So dat 's de end o' dat ditty. 



XXXVII. 
GREO-GRASS AN' HOP-O'-MY-THUMB.^ 

Hop-o'-my-Thumb had five brudders, an' hevery one on 'em vwas 
bigger 'n him ; 'e vwas de younges', an' 'e vwas only as big as you' 
little thumb. 

So now de ma vwas dead. Now all on 'em vwas goin' trabbelin*. 
Dey vwen', dey vwen', all t'r'u de bushes. So now dey trabbel all 
dat day, an' vw'en de sun was down dey see one light. Now dey 
gone, dey gone y dey gone 'till dey come to dat light. So vw'en dey 
come to de house, Greo-grass wife say, " Children, whey you no 
goin' .? 'f my husban' meet you no here, 'e '11 tear you hall to pieces." 
De woman say, " Make haste ! Come here ! le' me hide you ! " She 
hide 'em somewhey in one secret room in de house. Den, when she 
hide 'em, her husban' come wid a whole lot o' tear-up children ; 
whole lot o' beastes, helephan' — 'e was so strong 'e could kill any- 

1 In this tale the central thought is seen to be quite similar to that of " Die 
Goldene Ziegenbock," by Grimm. There the boy and his sister, pursued by a 
witch, are transformed into many things. Cf. Theal, /. c, p. 124. 

2 In European folk-lore the witch is generally characterized by having two very 
long teeth. 

8 Evidently a confusion of " Jack the Giant- Killer " and Grimm's " Thumbling." 



98 Bahama Sojtgs and Stories. 

thing ! Soon 's 'e git in de house, 'e say, " Humph ! humph ! I 
smell de blood o' one hold Englishman ! " De woman say, ''No ! " 
She say, " 'T ain't a soul in dis house!" Greo-grass say, "Dat 
hain't no good, I smell de blood 0' one hold Englishman ! " Greo- 
grass vwen' all t'r'u' de house smellin'. Vw'en 'e look in dat room, 
'e fin' em ; it vwas five on 'em. After 'e fin' 'em, 'e say, "Ne' min', 
I '11 have dese five fo' my breakfas' in de mornin' ! " 

So now Greo-grass had five children, too. His wife made five 
gold cap an' five silver cap. Greo-grass put de five gold cap on his 
children, an' put de five silver caps on de five bother children. Den 
Hop-o'-my-thumb got up durin' de night while Greo-grass vwas 
sleepin'. He take de five gold cap an' put 'em on his children, an' 
put de five silver ones on Greo-grass s children. 'Fore day in de 
mornin', soon 's de firs' fowl crow. Hop-o'-my-thumb jump hup ; 'e 
call all his children : 'e gone. Den, after Hop-o'-my-thumb gone, 
Greo-grass jump hup. 'E cut off all five he children head : 'e did n' 
know. After a little while 'e fin' hout it vwas 'is children ; 'e vwas 
so vex' 'e did n' know vw'at to do ; 'e gone to his wife, 'e say, " Hey ! 
you cause me to do dis ! 'f you want so hold an' tough I cut hofFyou 
head ! " Den Greo-grass say, " Ne' min', I go an' look fur 'em." So 
now Greo-grass gone ! Hevery step 'e make half a mile. Now 
Hop-o'-my-thumb fin' Greo-grass vwas gainin' on 'im. So him an' 
he brudders vwen' undernead de rock. So it vwas gittin' dark ; soon 
as Greo-grass git abreas' dat rock, 'e lay down an' vwen' to sleep. 
Soon as 'e begin to snore, 'e vwaken all de children dat vwas under- 
nead the rock. Now Hop-o'-my-thumb vwas goin' kill 'im. All de 
hoder brudder say, " No, brudder, doan' go, 'e kill you." Hop-o'- 
my-thumb say, "'F you doan' hush I kill you ! " Hop-o'-my-thumb 
come out ; 'e take Greo-grass's sword. Vw'en Hop-o'-my-thumb 
take Greo-grass's sword, 'e come down so ; Greo-grass jump two 
mile hup in de hair. Vw'en 'e come down 'e kill 'eself dead ! Hop- 
o'-my-thumb call all de brudders from undernead de rock. Den dey 
vwen' back again to Greo-grass's house. Vw'en 'e get dere, Greo- 
grass's wife say, " Whey Greo-grass ? " Hop-o'-my-thumb say, " Greo- 
grass cannoX. come, for Great Cay^ is belongs to Hop-o'-my-thumb." 

Dat 's all. 

1 Giant's Home. 



De Debbie an Young Prince had a Race. 99 

XXXVIII. 
DE DEBBLE AN' YOUNG PRINCE HAD A RACE.^ 

Once it vwas a time, it 's a very good time, 
It vwas n't my time, it 's old people's time, 
Vw'en dey use' to take codfish to shingle house. 

Dis young prince vwent in chase fur Brer Bobby. 'E say to Brer 
Bobby, "I hear you 's a good gambler." 'E says, "I vwant a trial 
with you." Se dey vwent off to gamblin'. After dey vwent off to 
gamblin', de more de Debbie did put out, de young prince would win 
'im. 'E said, " Young prince," 'e said, " I vwant a box four square 
wide, four square deep." Vw'en 'e vwent home 'e told his mother. 
She vwent an' git dis debble box. She said, *' Have I tol' you 'bout 
gamblin' .? " So 'e vwent on wid dis box, an' as 'e vwen' 'e met up 
by a man feedin' turkeys. An' 'e ask 'im, " Whey Brer Bobby live } " 
'E said, " 'E live 'bout t'irty miles from here." Vw'en 'e got dere, 
'e knock to de gate. 'E said, " I come to bring you dis box." 'E 
said, " Dat 's right, young prince, it exactly like mine, four square." 

'E give 'im a wooden ax an' a wooden machete. 'E said, " I vwant 
my 'erbs fur my dinner to-day." Vw'en 'e vwent, 'is ax break. De 
girl come. Vw'en de girl come, she ax young prince vw'at vwas de 
matter. De young prince say, *' You' pa gi' me dis wooden ax an' 
dis wooden machete to cut dis fiel', like I could cut it ! " She say, 
" Young prince, don' cry ; come lay in my lap." Vw'en 'e vwent, 
young prince lied in 'er lap ; 'e vwent off to sleep. 

She said, *' Jumpin' do jumpin', I vwan' dis ground cut, an' I want 
de herbs fur my fader's dinner at twelve o'clock ! So vw'en 'e 
vwent to his dinner-table he had de herbs dere. '' Young prince, 
you good as dat .'' " *' I good as dat an' better, too ! " 'E said, 
" Heagle heggs up in dat tree, dat glass tree. I vwant 'em down fur 
my breakfas' in de mornin' ! " 'E vwent to de tree, but 'e could n' 
git up. De more 'e go up, de more 'e slip down. So de girl vwen' 
dere ; she gi' 'im 'er finger nails, ah' she took his uns. An' den 'e 
brought de heagle heggs to de Debbie, an' 'e ask 'im 'f 'e vwas good 
as dat, an' 'e say, " Good as dat an' better, too." So 'e said, " Now, 
young prince, you marry my daughter." (Did I tell you 'er name .^ 
— my daughter Greenleaf.) 

Vw'en dey vwas married dey sleep dere till two o'clock dat night, 
vw'en dey git hup ; dey cut dese banana tree an' dey laid dem in de 
bed. 

1 Cf. Theal, /. ^., p. Z'] \ XIX., Fortier, Louisiana Folk-Tales, Boston and New 
York, 1895, p. 69. 



lOO Bahama Songs and Stories, 

One took de seven-mile hoss an* one took de six. She took two 
heggs as she vwas goin'. 

'E^ took 's t'ree-leg jackass; dat jackass go sixty mile to sixty 
minute, so vw'en 'e vwent from 'is house, 'e say, " Fisky lang, lang, 
fisky too; boss raskahty ! " So 'e ketch 'er. 'E say, *'My daughter 
Greenleaf, how you git across dis ribber ? " " I drink ; me hoss 
drink ! " An' ^e drink an' 'is hoss drink. 'E vwent on chasin' 'is 
daughter. She vwen' on ; she dash anudder hegg ; she say, " I hope 
dat may be de bigges' par-pricker ^ dat ever vwas, an' she be on de 
eas' side an' 'e on de vwes' ! " She said, " I cut ; my hoss cut ! " 
Vw'en 'e vwas finish cuttin', de girl vwas in de city, so 'e turn back. 

She tol' de young prince she would stop dere at de blin' man's, an' 
'e could go see 'is parents. So she said, " Don' let de puppy kiss 
you' lip, or else you forgot me ! " So 'e vwen' on, an' as 'e vwent 
home 'e vwas so glad to see 'im de puppy kiss 'is lips, an' jus* as de 
puppy kiss 'is lips 'e forgot 'er. An' den 'e vwent an' got an'o'r 
lady, an' 'e got married to 'er. After 'e got married to 'er *e 'ired 
a servant. Dis lady (Debbie's daughter) vwent over de vwell. She 
said, " I 'm too pretty to be a young prince servan' ; I jus' do to be 's 
wife." So she vwen' home an* tole 'im. So 'e vwe'n an* hired a 
middle-aged vwoman. So vw'en she vwen' to de vwell, she look up 
in de vwell ; she look up on de tree. She vwent home an' tol' de 
young prince, " Dat vwas a good lookin' lady stayin' to de blin* 
man's." 'E said, "Go 'an hax 'er to visit my gardens." 

She had two doves, a rooster an' a pullet, in one cage. She hax 
*er to vwell, an' she brought dese two doves. Doves had a corn in 
de cage. Vw'en de rooster dove would bring out dis corn, de pullet 
dove would carry it in. So dey hax 'er vw'at vwas de meanin' o* 
dose two birds. So she up an* tol' 'em. She say she save 
young prince life, an* 'e brought 'er 'ere an* lef 'er to de blin' man. 
So after she said dat, 'e flew right from de girl w'at 'e marry an' 
marry dis one. De minister had to marry 'em over again. So after 
de minister marry *em over again, I vwas passin' an* I vw'isper to 
'r 'er ; she vwas so good lookin* so young prince run out, an' 'e give 
me a kick an' sen' me here to tell you dat little ditty. Dat 's de 
hend o* dat ditty. 

1 " De Debbie " starting in pursuit. 

2 Prickly pear, one of the Opuntia, very common at Green Turtle Cay. 



APPENDIX. 



APPENDIX, 



NEGRO MUSIC. 

The subject of negro music has received such a varied treatment 
from so many writers, in the course of the present century, that it 
seems impossible to say anything new. But as a matter of folk- 
lore, — not from the standpoint of musical analysis, — the character 
of negro music in Africa and in America may be reviewed, and cer- 
tain genetic relationships between the primitive and the civilized 
music indicated. ^ 

Waitz ^ (p. 237) says of the native Africans in general that without 
question they, of all primitive races, possess the most considerable 
gift, and the most decided preference, for music ; and Hartmann^ 
characterizes instrumental music, dancing, and singing as the ele- 
ment in common of the happy, pleasure-seeking Africans. 

The musical instruments, of which Ratzel ^ (p. 149) says no other 
primitive people possess such a multiplicity, have been described by 
every student of African ethnology. 

Throughout Africa the drum is the chief instrument. It varies in 
size from that of a cylinder a number of feet long to that of the 
smallest kettle-drum. At certain festivals of the Betschauen, a 
number of women encircle an ox-hide, and then, stretching it, beat 
upon it with long sticks, and so, according to Ratzel ^ (p. 148) origi- 
nated the drum. There is the greatest variety of stringed instru- 
ments, from the one-stringed violin, simple lutes, and harps to a 
zither of seventeen strings. A gourd is used as a resonance-box, 
and for strings the hairs of an elephant's tail are generally employed. 
Johnston * (p. 434) says the natives of the Congo produce upon the 
five-stringed lyre melodies both quaint and touching : and according 
to Hahn (see Ratzel,^ p. 170) the Bushmen can play beautiful tunes 
upon an old European violin, or upon the native substitute. Pan- 
pipes, and simple flutes, long clarinet-like wooden trumpets, and 
war-horns made of ivory or antelope-horn, are universally distributed. 
Among the best instruments are the balafo and the marimbo, from 
which we have the xylophone. They are constructed of a series of 



104 Appendix, 

from fourteen to twenty graduated keys of hard-wood bars, under- 
neath which are fastened gourds to form resonance-chambers, and, as 
in the xylophone, the keys are struck with little hammers. The 
music of a band of these instruments is wild, chromatic, and rich in 
discords. (Hartmann,^ p. 197.) Schweinfurth,^ describing the great 
festivals of the Bongo, says (p. 288) : " The orchestral results might 
perhaps be fairly characterized as cats' music run wild. Unwearied 
thumping of drums, the bellowings of gigantic trumpets, for the 
manufacture of which great stems of trees come into requisition, in- 
terchanged by fits and starts with the shriller blasts of some smaller 
horns, make up the burden of the unearthly hubbub which reechoes 
miles away along the desert. Meanwhile women and children by 
the hundred fill gourd-flasks with little stones, and rattle them as if 
they were churning butter ; or again, at other times, they will get 
some sticks or dry faggots and strike them together with the great- 
est energy." 

The dance takes place at night, about a great fire, and is espe- 
cially enjoyable when there is moonlight. Rum, beer, and palm-wine 
excite the dancers to Pandean excesses. The movements of wild 
animals are cleverly imitated. The dance, often sensual, is accom- 
panied by the stamping of feet and the clapping of hands, orches- 
tral music, and singing. 

Concerning these orgies Schweinfurth ^ (pp. 354, 355) gives a most 
vivid description : " Slowly and mournfully some decrepit old man 
or toothless old woman begins with broken voice to babble out a 
doleful recitative ; ere long, first one and then another will put in an 
appearance from the surrounding huts, and point with the forefinger 
at the original performer, as if to say, 'This is all his fault,' when 
suddenly all together they burst forth in universal chorus, taking up 
the measure, which they work into a wondrous fugue. At a given 
signal the voices rise in a piercing shriek, and then ensues a series 
of incredible contortions : they jump, they dance, and roll them- 
selves about as though they had bodies of india-rubber ; they swing 
themselves as if they were propelled with the regularity of machines ; 
it would almost seem as if their energy were inexhaustible, and as 
if they would blow their trumpets till their lungs gave way, and 
hammer at their drums till their fists were paralyzed. All at once 
everything is hushed ; simultaneously they make a pause, but it is 
only to fetch their breath and recover their strength, and once more 
the tumult breaks out as intense as ever." Page 289 : " Difficult 
were the task to give any adequate description of the singing of the 
Bongo. It must suffice to say that it consists of babbling recitative, 
which at one time suggests the yelping of a dog and at another the 
lowing of a cow, whilst it is broken ever and again by the gabbling 



Appendix, 105 

of a string of words which are huddled up one into another. The 
commencement of a measure will always be with a lively air, and 
every one, without distinction of age or sex, will begin yelling, 
screeching, and bellowing with all his strength ; gradually the surg- 
ing of the voices will tone down, the rapid time will moderate, and 
the song be hushed into a wailing, melancholy strain. Thus it sinks 
into a very dirge, such as might be chanted at the grave, and be 
interpreted as representative of a leaden and a frowning sky, when 
all at once, without note of warning, there bursts forth the whole 
fury of the negro throats ; shrill and thrilling is the outcry, and the 
contrast is as vivid as sunshine in the midst of rain." 

In the singing, one voice generally leads, and the chorus regularly 
alternates with the solo. Among the Sotho (Endemann,^ p. 30) the 
vocal solo begins in a high register, and, regardless of any rule, goes 
to the lower notes. At the dance, and among the laborers at work 
in company, choruses are sung in perfect time to the movement of 
the performers. The solo singer divides at will the lines of the 
text, often beginning in the middle and afterwards singing the first 
part. Sometimes there are two choruses. One will begin the 
cadence in a higher, the other in a lower pitch, and these may be 
sung together, or follow each other. Besides the wild and stormy 
choruses of the nocturnal carousals, there is abundant evidence of 
sweeter and more tender songs. Heuglin (Ratzel,^ p. 516) says that 
the songs of the Upper Nile negroes are very harmonic. They are 
mostly of a melancholy nature, as so many real folk-songs are, and, 
too, in a minor key. The Bushmen (pp. 3, 69) and the Hottentots 
(pp. 3, 103) have an especial musical talent, and, after once or twice 
hearing songs like " O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden " and " Long, 
Long Ago," although not understanding the words, they will sing 
them through correctly. Among the Waganda (pp. 3, 465, 466) are 
singers of great renown, who are kept at court to improvise in 
praise of the king. The following from Wilson is addressed to King 

Mtesas : — 

" Thy feet are hammers, 
Thou son of the woods.^ 
Great is the fear of thee, 
Great is thine anger, 
Great is thy peace, 
Great thy power." 

Du Chaillu ^ heard at night a chant for the dead, which he de- 
scribes as a wail whose burden seems to be " There is no hope." 
The words were as follows : — 

^ Lion. 



io6 Appendix. 

" Oh, you will never speak to us any more, 
We cannot see your face any more, 
You will never walk with us again, 
You will never settle our palavers for us." 

(Cf. Laing^ (pp. 233, 237), Waitz^ (pp. 240,243) and Endemann^ 

(PP- 57, 63).) 

Although the words of these primitive compositions are often 
senseless, as sometimes happens in the songs of the Southern negroes 
of the United States, yet they are just as freely applauded. 

The best-developed music is that of Dahomey, which has been 
brought to complete accord ; and that of Aschanti, which moves in 
fifths and octaves, but seldom in thirds. 

Now, turning to America, we find, in the many articles and books 
written about the negro, a large number of references to his music, 
of which we can only give those most pertinent. Stedman ^ (pp. 
258-290) describes the negroes of Guinea as found in slavery in 
Surinam Guiana. The musical instruments, the dance, and vocal 
music had suffered scarcely any modification from American envi- 
ronment. This, no doubt, was due to the constant infusion of native 
Africans, as at that time the importation of slaves wa^ unlimited. 

In a defence of slavery published at Paris in 1802-3, an "ancient 
counsellor and colonist of San Domingo," signing himself V. D. C.,^^ 
says of the negroes (p. 331) : "They are so musically inclined that 
all their pleasure consists in the pipe and dance ; nay, negroes have 
performed in the oratorios of St. Domingo. Their songs and tales 
run generally on love, either in a lamentation, a hymn, or a satire, 
and they will join in the choruses with the leader." Here, too, is a 
near approach to primitive African conditions. 

Cable ^^ describes the dances of the Creole slaves, which before 
1843 were celebrated on the Sabbath afternoons of summer, in 
Place Congo, New Orleans. The instruments of the orchestra were 
primitive African drums and wooden horns, the marimbabrett. Pan's 
pipes, gourds filled with pebbles or grains of corn, and the jawbones 
of oxen or horses, over the teeth of which metal keys were rattled. 
These native African instruments were reinforced by triangles, jews'- 
harps, and banjos, which are always associated with the American 
negro. Cable agrees with Harris, however, that the favorite musical 
instrument of the Southern negro is not the banjo, but the fiddle. 

These dances were essentially of primitive African nature, with 
survivals from many different tribes represented. As they were 
gradually suppressed, there arose instead the "shout" (described 
farther on), and the various forms, often complicated, of the shuffle 
and the double shuffle, with the natural addition of the various 
dances in vogue with the white people. 



Appendix, 107 

The first distinctive period of American negro vocal music was the 
era of negro minstrelsy ushered in about 1835 with the song ''Jim 
Crow." 12 Then " Zip Coon," '' Long-tailed Blue," '' Ole Virginny 
Nebber Tire," and " Settin' on a Rail " soon followed, and became 
universally popular. The airs were whistled, sung, and played by 
everybody, everywhere. They voiced the happier hours of the slave, 
and were so true to nature, and so appealed to the genuine Ameri- 
can heart, that for a few years these simple ballads became the 
songs of the nation. With " Ole Dan Tucker," perhaps the most 
famous of all, these ballads reached their highest mark. Soon after 
1 841, a mass of spurious sentimental songs and miserable parodies 
flooded the country, and negro minstrelsy fell into disrepute. The 
real minstrel, who loved the sunshine and the moonlight of the old 
plantation, was displaced by the corked imitation of the stage. 

Brown ^^ gives the following classification of the songs of the 
slave : — 

(i.) Religious Songs, e. g. ''The Old Ship of Zion," where the re- 
frain of "Glory, halleloo," in the chorus, keeps the congregation well 
together in the singing, and allows time for the leader to recall the 
next verse. 

{2.) River Songs, composed of single lines separated by a barbar- 
ous and unmeaning chorus, and sung by the " deck-hands " and 
"roustabouts," mainly for the howl. 

(3.) Plantation Songs, accompanying the mowers at the harvest, 
in which strong emphasis of rhythm was more important than 
words. 

(4.) Songs of Longing ; dreamy, sad, and plaintive airs describing 
the most sorrowful pictures of slave life, sung in the dusk when 
returning home from the day's work. 

(5.) Songs of Mirth, whose origin and meaning, in most cases for- 
gotten, were preserved for the jingle of rhyme and tune, and sung, 
with merry laughter and with dancing, in the evening by the cabin 
fireside. 

(6.) Descriptive Songs, sung in chanting style, with marked em- 
phasis and the prolongation of the concluding syllable of each 
line. One of these songs, founded upon the incidents of a famous 
horse-race, became almost an epic among the negroes of the slavehold- 
ing States. 

Concerning the songs of the negroes of the regions bordering the 
Gulf and the Caribbean Sea, which show in a special manner the in- 
fluence of French and Spanish music. Cable ^^ (p. 805) says : "It is 
strange to note in all this African-Creole lyric product how rarely its 
producers seem to have recognized the myriad charms of nature. 
His songs were not often contemplative. They voiced, not outward 



io8 Appendix, 

nature, but the inner emotions and passions of a nearly naked ser- 
pent-worshipper, and these looked not to the surrounding scene 
for sympathy ; the surrounding scene belonged to his master. But 
love was his, and toil, and anger, and superstition, and malady. 
Sleep was his balm, food his reinforcement, the dance his pleasure, 
rum his longed-for nepenthe, and death the road back to Africa. 
These were his themes, and furnished the few scant figures of his 
verse." 

The most important of these classes of songs is undoubtedly that 
of the religious songs, or " spirituals," as they were generally called. 
They were at first often connected with the " shout," a certain sur- 
vival of the primitive African dance, and were then called " running 
spirituals." The best description of the " shout " is given by a 
writer in " The Nation," ^^ May 30, 1867, who says: "When the 
*sperichil' is struck up, they begin first walking, and by and by 
shuffling round, one after the other, in a ring. The foot is hardly 
taken from the floor, and the progression is mainly due to a jerk- 
ing, hitching motion, which agitates the entire shouter, and soon 
brings out streams of perspiration. Sometimes they dance silently, 
sometimes as they shuffle they sing the chorus of the spiritual, and 
sometimes the song itself is also sung by the dancers. But more 
frequently a band, composed of some of the best singers and of tired 
shouters, stand at the side of the room to " base " the others, sing- 
ing the body of the song and clapping their hands together or on 
their knees." In the " hand-shake," or " love-feast," ^^ which follows 
the general services in the negro church, is found an interesting 
modification of the ** shout." 

Of the singing, Allen ^^ (p. iv.) says: ** The voices of the colored 
people have a peculiar quality that nothing can imitate ; and the 
intonations and delicate variations of even one singer cannot be 
reproduced on paper. And I despair of conveying any notion of 
the effect of a number singing together, especially in a complicated 
shout, like " I can't stay behind, my Lord," or " Turn, sinner, turn, 
O ! " There is no singing in parts as we understand it, and yet no 
two appear to be singing the same thing : the leading singer starts 
the words of each verse, often improvising, and the others, who 
" base " him, as it is called, strike in with the refrain, or even join in 
the solo, when the words are familiar. When the " base " begins, 
the leader often stops, leaving the rest of his words to be guessed 
at, or it may be they are taken up by one of the other singers. And 
the *' basers " themselves seem to follow their own whims, beginning 
when they please and leaving off when they please, striking an oc- 
tave above or below (in case they have pitched the tune too low or 
too high), or hitting some other note that chords, so as to produce 



Appendix. 109 

the effect of a marvellous complication and variety, and yet with the 
most perfect time, and rarely with any discord. And what makes it 
all the harder to unravel a thread of melody out of this strange net- 
work is that, like birds, they seem not infrequently to strike sounds 
that cannot be precisely represented by the gamut, and abound in 
** slides from one note to another, and turns and cadences not in 
articulated notes." And Harris ^^ (p. 1 1) says of these songs : *' They 
are written, and are intended to be read, solely with reference to 
the regular and invariable recurrence of the caesura, as, for instance, 
the first stanza of the Revival Hymn : — 

Oh, whar | shill we go | w'en de great | day comes, | 

Wid de blow | in' er de trumpits | en de bang | in' er de drums ? | 

How man | y po' sin | ners '11 be kotch'd out, late | 

En fine | no latch ] ter de gold | in' gate. | 

" In other words, the songs depend for their melody and rhythm 
upon the musical quality of time, and not upon long or short, ac- 
cented or unaccented syllables." 

The words of these spirituals are generally either taken from the 
Bible, or suggested from texts therefrom which abound in imagery. 

(For collections of songs see Pike,-^^ Armstrong,^^ Harris, ^^,^ 
Deming,^^ Trotter, ^^ Woodville,^^ and Fortier.^*) 

They may, however, come from a very different source. Higgin- 
son 25 (p. 692) gives this account of the genesis of one, from the lips 
of the originator. " Once we boys," he said, *' went for tote some 
rice, and de nigger-driver he keep a-callin' on us ; and I say, * O, de 
ole nigger-driver.' Den anudder said, 'Fust ting my mammy tole 
me was, notin' so bad as nigger-driver.' Den I made sing, just put- 
tin' a word, and den anudder word." From such an origin, or from 
the fevered imagination of some great exhorter passing through the 
fiery furnace of a negro revival, arose most of these songs. Lines, 
or parts of lines, of one song are often sung to the music of another, 
and almost any combination of words can be sung to any tune. Oc- 
tave Thanet '^^ says, " They all have the same characteristics, an 
erratic melody, a formless yet sometimes brilliant imagination, per- 
vading melancholy, and no trace of what we call sense." 

The use of the pentatonic scale (the fourth and seventh being 
omitted) was noted in the music of the natives of the Congo (John- 
ston,* p. 434), and also in over half of the songs of the Jubilee Singers 
(Seward ^^). This, however, is a characteristic of all barbaric mu- 
sic, but, together with many traits mentioned above, shows in this 
case, a sustained relationship to primitive African music. On the 
contrary, from the frequent occurrence of melodies borrowed from 
hymn-books, as e. g. the refrain of the jubilee song, "I'm So Glad," 
which is the same as the first half of Pleyel's Hymn, we can im- 



no Appendix, 

agine the great influence of the music of the white people upon 
the imitative negroes. The well-known custom of sitting up and 
singing all night, noticed of the Southern negroes (Woodville^^), and 
which is such a striking feature of Bahama life (see Introduction), 
has been described among the native tribes of Africa by every 
explorer. We may, I think, safely say that the American negro has 
largely borrowed the higher music of the civilized white people, into 
which he has breathed the weird poetic feeling inherited from his 
naked ancestor who sang and danced in the African moonlight. 

After his emancipation, the negro, impressed with the dignity and 
responsibility of his position, and under the ban of a severe struggle 
for existence, becomes more serious, and less given to the jollifications 
which were so natural on the old plantation. Secular songs and 
dancing are beginning to fade away, and a new class of music more 
imitative of that of the white man is coming in vogue. Sad indeed 
will be the loss if these wonderful melodies, formed from a union of 
the highest music of civilization with the best that is found among 
all primitive peoples, should pass away forever. 

A few of the songs in this volume may have been heard among 
the negroes of the Southern States, although, so far as I know, none 
have appeared in the published collections. Syllables may be omit- 
ted at the whim of the singer, and the same words sung to the 
music of several songs. 

1 Waitz, Theodor, Anthropolgie der Naturvblker^ ii Bd., Negervolker, Leip- 
zig, i860. 

2 Hartmann, R., Die Vblker Afi^ikas^ Leipzig, 1879. 

2 Ratzel, Friedrich, Volkerkunde^ i Bd., Die Naturvolker Afrikas, Leipzig, 1885. 

^ Johnston, H. H., The River Congo, frojn its Mouth to Bdlobo, etc., London, 
1884. 

^ Schweinfurth, Georg, The Heart of Africa^ vol. ii., London, 1873. 

^ Endemann, K., " Mittheilungen iiber die Sotho-Neger," Zeitschrift f. Ethno- 
logie, Heft L, Berlin, 1874. 

' Du Chaillu, Paul B., Explorations ank Adventures iit Equatorial Africa, New 
York, 1 871. 

8 Laing, Major A. G., Travels in Western Africa, London, 1825. 

^ Stedman, Captain J. G., N'ai'-rative of a Five Vears^ Expedition against the 
Revolted Negroes of Surinam, in Guiana, 07i the Wild Coast of S. America, etc., 
vol, ii., London, 1796. 

^^ ExaTnen de VEsclavage en general, et particulieretnent de PEsclavage des Ne- 
gres dans les Colonies fra7iqaises de V Amerique, par V. D. C, Paris, 1802-3, Rev. 
in Edinburgh Rev. vol. vi. pp. 326-350, 1805. 

1^ Cable, George W., " The Dance in Place Congo," The Century Magazine, 
vol. xxxi. pp. 517-532, February, 1886. 

12 "Negro Minstrelsy, Ancient and Modern," Putnam's Magazine, vol. v. 
pp. 72-79^ January, 1855. 

1^ Brown, John Mason, " Songs of the Slave," Lippincotfs Magazine, vol. ii. 
pp. 617-623, December, il 



Appendix. 1 1 1 

^^ Cable, George W., " Creole Slave Songs," The Century Magazine^ vol. 
xxxi. pp. 807-828, April, 1886. A number of songs with music. 

^5 Allen, W. F., "Negro Dialect," The Nation, vol. i. pp. 744, 745. Descrip- 
tion of the " shout." 

i*^ Hopkins, Isabella T., Scrihier's Monthly, vol. xx. pp. 422-429, 1880. A 
vivid description of the negro church service. 

1' Slave Songs of the United States, New York, 1867. Introduction by W. 
F. Allen. 136 songs with music, representing the entire South. 

1^ Harris, Joel Chandler, Uncle Remus j His Songs a7id his Sayings, New York, 
1880. Nine songs, words only, two of which are "spirituals" and the rest are 
secular. 

1'"^ Pike, G. D., The Jubilee Singers, etc., Boston and New York, 1873. 61 re- 
ligious songs. 

^^ Armstrong, Mrs. M. F., and Ludlow, H. W., Hampton and its Students, New 
York, 1874. With 50 Cabin and Plantation Songs. 

21 Deming, Clarence, By-Ways of Nature and Life, New York, 1884, pp. 370. 
Negro Songs and Hymns. Negroes of the Mississippi Bends, from Helena, Ar- 
kansas, to Vicksburg, Miss. 

2- Trotter, Jas. M., Music a7id So7ne Highly Musical People, Boston and 
New York, 1878. Biographical sketches of some famous negro singers like The 
Black Swan, Blind Tom, The Luca Family, etc., with selections of instrumental 
music composed by negroes. 

^ Woodville, Jennie, " Rambling Talk about the Negro," Lippiftcotfs Maga- 
zine, vol. xxii. November, 1878. 

2* Fortier, Alcee, Trans, and Proc. of the Mod. Lang. As. of Am. vol. iii. 
Baltimore, 1888, pp. 159-168. 

2^ Higginson, T. W., " Negro Spirituals." Atlantic Monthly, vol. xix. 
June, 1867. A collection of 36 rehgious and 2 secular songs. 

2" Harris, Uncle Remus arid his Friends, Boston and New York, 1892. With 
16 songs, words only. 

2" Octave Thanet, four. Am. Folk-Lore, vol. v., 1892. Words of 3 songs. 

ADDITIONAL NOTES TO THE STORIES. 

I. p. 54. Among a number of nominies used by the country-folk in England, 
reproduced from the London Globe, April 28, 1890, in four. Am. Folk-Lore, vol. 
viii., 1895, p. 81 and p. 153, is the following: — 

Be bow bended, my story 's ended. 
If you don't like it, you may mend it ; 
A piece of pudden for telling a good un, 
A piece of pie for telling a lie. 

This, instead of some forgotten African phrase, may be the source of e, bo, ban. 
Cf. I. and X., ¥ oriier, Louisiajta Folk-Tales, Memoirs of the Am. Folk-Lore Soc. 
vol. ii., Boston and New York, 1895, pp. 7, 29. 

II. p. 55, Island of Mauritius, Gerber, Jotcr. Am. Folk-Lore, vol. vi. 1893, p. 
250 ; I., Fortier, /. c, p. 3. 

III. p. ^'^, Bouki is Ouolof for hyena. Fortier, /. c, p. 94. 

IV. p. 56, Cf. XVIII., Chatelain, Folk-Tales of Angola, Memoirs of the Am. 
Folk-Lore Soc. vol. i., Boston and New York, 1894, p. 157. 

X. p. 61, Gerber, /. c, p. 253. 

XII. p. 63, Gerber, /. c, p. 251 ; XII., Fortier, /. c, p. 35. 

XVI. p. 67, Gerber, /. c, p. 251. 



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,^ *5(E* The First Vice-President, J. Owen Dorsey, Washington, D. C, died in the month of February, 1895. 



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JOURNAL OF AMERICAN FOLK-LORE. 
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Vol. I. FOLK-TALES OF ANGOLA. 

Fifty Tales with Ki-mbundu text, literal English Translation, Introduction, 
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